


We need better timing

by Geekygirl669



Series: The worst possible timing. [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, How Do I Tag, M/M, Post Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:02:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 99,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24644512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekygirl669/pseuds/Geekygirl669
Summary: Things just keep getting worse and worse for the Grimes-Dixon family during the zombie apocalypse.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes, Lori Grimes/Shane Walsh
Series: The worst possible timing. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772059
Comments: 36
Kudos: 51





	1. What lies ahead.

**Author's Note:**

> All the chapters are going to have a flashback at the beginning of the chapter.  
> There is going to be about 13 or 14 chapters in this story and I should be posting a new chapter every Wednesday.
> 
> Please let me know if you think I should add any more tags to the story. I don't really know what ones to add.

_**Daryl sighed as he sat by Rick’s bedside his husband’s hand firmly grasped in his own. “I need you to wake up okay, Carl needs you to wake up.”** _

_**Daryl felt like a broken record as he sat there whispering the same thing he had done a hundred times this week, hoping that today would be the day his husband listened to him.** _

_**“He needs his dad man.” Daryl sighed as he brought Rick’s hand closer to his face. “And not me, he needs you. The one with all his shit together, not the one that goes off on a fucking hunting trip for way to long when things get bad. You help him with his homework better than I ever have. You just better at that stuff.”** _

_**Daryl tried to fight back his tears not willing to let himself cry in a hospital where anyone could walk in and see him. “You promised me another kid Rick, a little brother or sister for Carl, you promised me and you can’t keep the fucking promise if you don’t wake the fuck up.”** _

_**“How am I supposed to do this whole single father thing?” Daryl asked as he let his head rest on the side of the bed. “I earn shit all at my job, I don’t know half the things Carl’s learning in school so how the fuck would I be able to help him with his homework. Think about that Rick, if you don’t wake up Carl’s gonna fail at school you need to wake up so that doesn’t happen. You need to wake up and make sure that our son does the best he can at school and can get whatever fucking job he wants when he’s older.”** _

_**Daryl sighed when nothing happened, not much of him expecting anything to happen anymore. He felt broken as he looked back up at his husband, looking my lifeless then he should. Looking the far vest thing from the man he’s known for twenty plus years. “You have a kid waiting at home for you and you better damn well come back to him. You hear me.”** _

_************** _

_**“Hey.” Carl said as he walked into the hospital room, Lori right behind him.** _

_**“Hey.” Daryl looked up from where he had be staring at his own hands to his son. “Good day at school?”** _

_**“It was okay.” Carl told him as he walked around to sit in the chair next to Daryl’s.** _

_**“How is he?” Lori asked as she sat down on the opposite side of the bed. “Any change?”** _

_**“No.” Daryl shock his head as he leaned back in his chair. “Nothing’s changed.”** _

_**“When’s he gonna wake up papa?” Carl asked looking away from Rick.** _

_**“I don’t know buddy. I just don’t know.” Daryl had tried to make sure that he was always being truthful to his son through all of this, he didn’t want Carl to feel like he was being left in the dark about anything that was happening.** _

_**“Why don’t you go home and get some sleep.” Lori suggested, the bags under Daryl’s eyes showing his lake of sleep. “I’ll stay here with Carl and bring him home in time for dinner.”** _

_**Daryl looked reluctantly between his son and husband knowing that Lori was right and he really did need sleep but not wanting to leave the two people closest to him.** _

_**“I will call if anything change.” Lori promised him.** _

_**Daryl finally nodded knowing it was for the best before he pushed himself up from chair, giving Carl a quick hug goodbye, leaving the room.** _

_**When Daryl got home to an empty house, no clue where his brother had gone, he walked up the stairs and into his and Rick’s room.** _   
_**Looking around at the room that was so clearly decorated by his husband Daryl let himself fall to the bed as he broke down for the first time since everything had happened just over a week ago.** _

_************** _

_**By the time Lori brought Carl back Daryl hadn’t got much sleep at all but he still felt a hell of a lot better than he did.** _

_**“Where’s uncle Merle?” Carl asked as the two of them eat dinner together.** _

_**“No clue.” Daryl told him although he did have a few good suspicions as to where his brother could have wondered off to, none of them were really suitable to tell a ten year old. “You gonna tell me anymore about your school day?” He asked missing more than he would ever admit the days when their dinner’s would be filled with Carl telling them every single thing he had gotten up to that day.** _

_**“Nothing happened.” Carl told him his eyes on his food like they had been since Daryl first gave it to him.** _

_**Daryl sighed as he looked over at his hating that he was having to go through all of this. “Carl, look at me.” Carl reluctantly looked up at his dad as Daryl said, “Just because your dad is in the hospital doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to have a good day at school, he would want you to still be happy.”** _

_**Carl just looked at Daryl for a moment before he let his eyes travel back down to his plate as he slowly admitted. “It feels wrong to have fun while he’s in a hospital bed. We don’t even know if he’s going to wake up. He could die.”** _

_**“Hey.” Daryl said making Carl look back up at him. “Your dad is strong and he’s going to fight like hell to make it through this, but I know for a fact that the last thing he would want would be for you to put your life on hold for him. So how was school?”** _

_**“Boring.” Carl told him knowing his dad had to be telling the truth if he was talking to him like that. "Nothing really happened at all. We just did our work.”** _

_**Daryl sat there as he listened to his son trying not to let his mind wonder off and think about Rick, knowing that he needed to be strong, that he couldn’t let himself break down, for his son. That right now it was what Carl needed.** _

**********************************************************************************

Rick sighed bringing the walkie-talkie up so he could talk into it. “I guess I’m losing hope that you can hear me.” Rick started. “But there’s always that chance, isn’t there? That slim chance. It’s all about slim chances now. I tried to do everything right, keep people safe. I tried Morgan. I tried.” Rick was saying it more to himself then he was Morgan struggling to convince himself that he had really done everything he could for his little group. “Our groups smaller now. We lost another, day before last. I was her choice. I won’t say I blame her, but she lost faith. The C.D.C was a dead end. I met a man there, a scientist. He told me something. He told me.” Rick faltered not sure whether telling people was the right thing to do or if it would just cause a panic. “It doesn’t matter, not really. What matters is we’re moving on. We have to Atlanta’s done, there’s nothing left for us here now. We’re going to try Fort Benning. We’re facing a long hard journey, maybe even herder then I can imagine. But nothing can be harder than our journeys been so far, right?”  
Rick sighed trying not to think about what lied ahead for them. “123 miles. I’m trying not to lose faith. I can’t, it id o the others… my husband, my son.” Rick looked over at were Carl and Daryl were stood next to the motor bike getting everything ready for the next trek of their journey. “There’s so few of us now. Se we’ve got to stick together, fight for each other, be willing to lay down our lives for each other, if that time ever comes.”

“Son, lets saddle up.” Dale shouted from where he was stood outside the RV.

“It’s the only chance we got.” Rick told Morgan as the engines of the cars started. “Be careful out there Morgan. I hope you and Duane are okay. Stay off the road keep moving and keep your eyes out.” Rick started to move towards the car. “I don’t know just be safe. Maybe we’ll see you in Fort Benning someday. Rick signing off.” He turned the walkie-talkie off before getting into the driver’s side of the car.

**********************************************************************************

“I was thinking.” Lori said turning round to look at her brother. “About the trip to the grand canyon.”

Rick laughed the memory of that trip coming back to him.

“I don’t remember that.” Carl spoke up from the back.

“You were just a baby.” Rick told him looking back at Carl quickly. “Maybe three tops. You’re Aunt Lori and Uncle Shane thought it would be a good idea if we all went on trip together. Didn’t make it their though. You got sick. Never seen a kid throw up that much before.”

“Ick.” Carl screwed up his face in disgust making the three adults in the car laugh a little.

“Yeah ick.” Lori nodded. “Your dad panicked so much and we took you to a doctor in Texas, they said you would live. We all turned back round and went home.”

“That sucks.” Carl commented not being able to imagine having to leave a holiday early.

“No it was a great holiday.” Rick shock his head. “It was only the second holiday we got to go on as a family and Aunt Lori and Uncle Shane were there. We may have had to leave early but it was good until that point.”

“Can we go?” Carl asked. “To the Grand Canyon? I’d like to see it.”

“I would to.” Sophia spoke up. “Can we go?”

“Your papa’s always wanted us to go back.” Rick told Carl, going back to the Grand Canyon was on the list of things he and Daryl had been saving up for before this all happened. “We’d never go without you and your mum.” Rick told Sophia. “I promise.”

**********

“Oh jezz.” Dale sighed when he noticed that the road was blocked by too many cars and that the RV would never make it through. “See a way through?” Dale asked Glenn as he brought the RV to a stop.

“Uh, maybe we should just go back.” Glenn suggested not seeing anyway of them getting through. “There’s an interstate bypass…”

“We can’t spear the fuel.” Dale cut him off before he could finish his sentence, the RV making a weird noise.

“Jezz.” Glenn and Dale made their way out of the RV, Dale taking the chance to lift the hood and see what the problem had been.

“I said it didn’t I?” Dale sighed when he had a look at what was wrong. “A thousand time. Dead in the water.”

“Problem Dale?” Rick asked as he walked up to them.

“Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere.” Dale sighed.

“If you can’t find a radiator hose here.” Shane commented pointing around at all the cars.

“There’s a whole bunch of stuff we could find.” Daryl pointed out.

“I can siphon more fuel.” T-dog offered. “It’s a start.”

“Maybe some water.” Carol suggested.

“Or food.”

“This is a graveyard.” Lori pointed out not liking the idea of this. “I don’t know how I feel about us rummaging through and taking stuff.”

“All right, all right.” Shane said ignoring his wife. “Here we go. Look around gather what you can.”

Carol and Lori both nodded before they walked over to the nearest car having a look at what was inside.

“Which one?” Glenn asked from where he was looking in Dale’s toolbox.

“The flathead.” Dale said looking up from the hood of the RV. “Radiator hose clamp is always a flathead. Here, you do it.” Dale stepped away. “Learn something.”

Glenn just nodded before moving to were Dale was and doing as he was intrusted.

“Ed never let me wear nice thing.” Carol commented as she pulled a dress out of the trunk of a car. “Were going to need clothes.”

“Carl.” Daryl shouted getting his sons attention. “Always were me or you dad can see you.”

Carl just nodded at his dad before continuing to look in the car he was at.

Rick stood next to the RV binoculars in hand looking round to make sure there were no walkers nearby as Shane walked over to a truck opening the back door and letting out a loud laugh.

“Glenn. Were we short on water?” Shane shouted make the man look away from the RV and over to the truck that was filled with huge water bottles.

“Save me some.” Glenn shouted when Shane opened one of them letting the water wash over his head.

“It’s like being baptized, man.” Shane shouted happily.

“Of god.” Rick muttered when he saw a heard of walkers heading in their direction. “Get down.”

Lori pulled Carol under the nearest car holding a hand over her moth to keep her mouth shut.

“Carl under the car.” Rick shouted as quietly as he could as he ran closer to them.

Carl looked over at his dad before getting under the car next to him, Sophia following on the other side.

Shane walked over grabbing Glenn who was still working on the RV pulling him under the truck.

Daryl got under the car nearest to him making sure he always had sight of his son as Rick reached out from under his car getting the gun he had dropped in his hast to hide.

Daryl spotted T-dog trying to hide a hug gash on his arm and he snuck out from under the car slowly making his was over to the man, sticking one of his arrows through the head on a walker Daryl moved over pushing T-dog onto the floor with a, “Shhh.” He dragged the body of the walker he stabbed onto of T-dog before grabbing a corps from the car next to him and laying down on the floor with it covering him, hoping it was enough to keep the walkers from spotting them.

Carol moved further under the car as the walkers reached them, walking past the cars.  
Lori looked over at her brother as she pulled Carol close to her. Both of them looking over at the kids in the car next to them and Carol was forced to watch with tears in her eyes as Sophia freaked as a walker bent down beside her car before she screamed sliding out from under the car.

Rick spotted Sophia running down the hill quickly sliding out from under his own car and following her.

Daryl push the walker off of himself before quickly moving over and pulling the walker of off T-dog letting out a small sigh of relief when he noticed T-dog was still moving.

Rick leapt over the fence before following Sophia and the walker casing after her down the hill.

Carol rushed out from under the car once she was sure the coast was clear.

“That walkers after my baby.” Carol cried as Lori pulled her in to her holding a hand over her mouth so that they didn’t draw the walkers back.

**********************************************************************************

“So this is the spot?” Daryl asked as he pulled back some roots.

“I left her right here.” Rick confirmed putting up the river. “I drew the walker way off in that direction up the creek.” Daryl nodded moving away from the tree. “She was gone by the time I got back. Figure she had just gone back to the group. I told her to go that way.” Rick pointed down the river towards the main road and were the rest of the group was waiting “and to keep the sin on her left shoulder.”

“Hey short round.” Daryl shouted up at Glenn. “Why don’t you step of to one side? You’re mucking up the trial.” Glenn looked down at the floor not seeing anything but moved over anyway.

“Assuming she knows her left from her right.” Shane said.

“She understood just fine.”

“Kids tired and scared man. She had her close call with two walker. To wonder how much of what you said stuck.” Shane gave Rick a look.

Daryl moved over to the side of the river moving some of the leaves to the side before saying, “Got clear prints here. She did like you said, headed back to the highway. Let’s spread out, make our way back.”

“She couldn’t have gone far.” Shane pointed out.

“Hey were gonna find her.” Shane assure Rick as he helped him up from the River. “She’ll be tuckered out hiding in a bush somewhere.”

**********

Daryl stopped crouching down to the floor before saying. “She was doing just fine till here. All she had to do was keeping going.” Daryl pointed of to the side. “She veered of that way.”

“Why would she do that?” Glenn asked looking in the direction Daryl had pointed.

“Maybe she saw something that spooked her, make her run off.” Shane suggested.

“A walker?”

Daryl shock his head. “I don’t see any other footprints. Just hers.”

“So what do we do?” Shane asked standing up straight. “All of us press on?”

“No. better if you and Glenn get back to the highway. People are gonna start panicking.” Rick told them. “Let them know we’re on her trail doing everything we can. But most of all keep everyone calm.”

Shane nodded. “I’ll keep them busy scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I’ll keep them occupied.” Shane promised before he and Glenn made their leave walking back up the highway and leaving Rick and Daryl to search for Sophia.

**********************************************************************************

“Why aren’t we all out looking?” Carol asked panic filling her voice. “Why are we moving cars?”

“We have to clear enough room so I can get the RV turned around as soon as it’s running.” Dale pointed out. “Now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Glenn pointed out.”

“Going back’s going to be easier than trying to get through this mess.” Shane agreed walking up to the two of them.

Carol shock her head finding it hard to believe that they were talking about leaving right now. “Were not going anywhere without my daughter.”

“That goes without saying.” Lori agreed.

“Rick and Daryl there on it.” Shane assured her. “They’ll find her and they’ll bring her back. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Can’t be soon enough.” Andrea sighed as she walked up the small hill in the road and towards them. “I’m still freaked out from that herd that passed us, or whatever you call it.”

“Yeah, what was that?” Glenn agreed. “All of them marching along like that. Never seen they do it before.”

“A herd. That sounds about right. We’ve seen it.” Shane corrected Glenn. “The night the camp was attacked. Same as what we saw here, only fewer of them.” Shane exhaled before getting back to work. “Come on people, we have work to do.”

**********************************************************************************

“Tracks are gone.” Daryl said as he crouched down before correcting himself. “They’re faint, but ain’t gone. She came through here.”

“You sure?” Rick asked as Daryl stood back up.

“As sure as I can be.” Daryl nodded before the two of them started moving again.

Both Rick and Daryl crouched down when they heard the noise of a twig snapping before the two of them slowly moved forward trying to keep as low as they could, stopping when they caught sight of a walker.  
Daryl mentioned for Rick to go and one and himself to go the other before the two of them moved away.  
Rick walking in front of the walker to detract it while Daryl came up behind shooting the thing in the head with an arrow. Watching it fall to the ground before they walked closer.

Daryl pulled his arrow out of the walkers head before looking around shutting “Sophia!” Rick bent down next to the walker taking out a piece of cloth and picking up its hand. “What you looking for?”

Rick looked up at his husband. “There’s skin under the finger nails. It fed recently.” Rick flipped the walker taking a look at its face before he leaned down and tried to pry its mouth open. “There’s flesh in its teeth.

“Human?” Daryl asked a sinking feeling growing in his stomach.

“Only one way to know for sure.” Rick pointed out as he pulled his knife out.

Daryl pushed Rick out the way lightly. “Here I’ll do it.” Daryl stood over the zombie getting his knife out as he said. “I was always better than you.”

Rick tried not to look away as Daryl pushed his knife into the walker’s stomach pulling the knife down and slicing its stomach open.

“Here come the bad part.” Daryl said as if what he had just done wasn’t bad enough before he dug his hands into the walker’s stomach pulling bits of its insides out. “Yeah this thing had a big meal not long ago. I can feel it all in there.” Daryl pulled something out of the walker placing it on the floor. “Here’s the gut bag.”

“I got this.” Rick said as he looked down at it. Rick sliced the bag open before he used his knife to look around.

“This gross bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch.” Daryl said as he pulled out something on the end of his knife.

“At least we know.” Rick pointed out.

“At least we know.” Daryl agreed.

The two of them got up walking away from the walker as Rick said. “I was never that bad at skinning hunt.”

“Sure you weren’t.” Daryl shot back keeping his eyes ahead of him. “You puked the first time.”

“Only the first.” Rick defended. The two of them having gone a few hunting trips together, Daryl wanting to teach his husband how to hunt and Rick wanting to be a part of something Daryl enjoyed doing.

“Looked like you wanted to every other time.”

**********************************************************************************

Andrea walked up to Carol who was standing near the fence at the edge of the highway. “It’s getting dark.”

“They’ll find her.” Andrea assured Carol before she walked back to the rest of the group. “I want my gun back.” Andrea told Dale as she walked up to him.

“You don’t need it right now do you?” Dale asked looking away from the RV.

“My father gave it to me. It’s mine.” Andrea pointed out.

“I can hold onto it for you.” Dale suggested.

“Or you could give it back.” Andrea’s voice was filled with anger.

“Everything cool?” Shane asked walking up to them having heard the commotion.

Andrea looked away from Dale and over to Shane thinking he would have her side. “No I want my gun back.”

“And I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Dale told both of them.

“Why not?” Shane asked needing to know both sides of what was going on.

“I’m not comfortable with it.” Dale told them making Andrea scoff.

“The truth is the less guns we have about the better.” Shane said knowing it could be dangers to let someone who doesn’t know how to us a gun go around with one.

“So your giving up your?” Andrea asked making Shane chuckle a little.

“No.” Shane shock his head. “But I’m trained in using one. That’s what the rest of ya’ll need is some more proper training. But until that time comes I agree with Dale, he should keep them all accounted for.”

Andrea scoffed not believing what she was hearing.

“Want to tell me what this is all about?” Shane asked but before Andrea got the chance to answer that, no she did not want to talk about it, Glenn was shouting. “Oh, god there back.”

Rick and Daryl walked back up the small hill next to the freeway all of their faces falling when they noticed Sophia wasn’t with them. “You didn’t find her?” Carol asked her voice full of heartbreak and worry.

Rick shock his head sadly as he said. “Her trail went cold. We’ll pick it up at first light.”

“You can’t just leave her out there over night.” Carol argued. “Let her spend the night in the woods alone.”

“Out in the darks no good.” Daryl said in the softest voice any of them had heard from the man when it wasn’t directed towards Carl. “We’d just end up tripping over ourselves. More people get lost like that.”

“But she’s twelve.” Carol said and everyone could see the tear in her eyes. “She can’t be out there on her own.”

“I know this is hard.” Rick said understandingly. “But I’m asking you not to panic. We know she’s out there, and well find her.”

“We tracked her for a while. We will find her.” Daryl promised her.

“We have to make this an organised effort.” Rick told everyone. “Daryl knows the woods better than any of use. He should oversee this.”

Carol nodded before she noticed something on Daryl’s top. “Is that blood.”

Rick breathed heavily as he looked over at his husband’s top. “We took down a walker.”

“Walker?” Carol asked.

“There was no sigh it was ever near Sophia.” Rick assured her trying not to think back.

“How can you know that?” Andrea asked.

“We cut the son of a bitch open, made sure.” Daryl shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Oh god.” Carol mumbled before she turned around to face Rick letting all her anger and worry out on him. “How could you just leave her out there to begin with? How could you just leave her?”

“There was two walkers on us.” Rick tried to explain even though he was starting to regret his decision. “I had to draw them away. I thought it was her best chance.”

“Sounds like he didn’t have a choice Carol.” Shane said standing up for his friend.

“How was she supposed to find her way back on her own?” Carol asked her anger gone a little and her voice now filled with worry once again. “She’s just a child.”

“It was my only option, the only choice I could make.”

“I’m sure nobody doubts that.”

Andrea and Lori sat next to Carol on the edge of the freeway both of them a hand on her shoulder trying to be as comforting as they could as Rick walked away, filled with guilt Daryl following not long behind him.

**********************************************************************************

“What if it was the wrong decision?” Rick asked as he, Daryl and Carl sat in one the cars, Carl asleep in the back seat.

“What else were you supposed to do?” Daryl asked not looking away from where he was staring out the window.

“I should have kept her with me rather than leaving her.” Rick said looking over at his husband.

“She’s a kid Rick.” Daryl sighed looking over at his husband. “She would have been able to keep up and you couldn’t hold her while taking out two walkers.”

“I shouldn’t have gone so far then.”

“If you didn’t go far enough Sophia could have made a little noise and they would have been right back to here.” Daryl pointed out. “None of us know how to deal with these things properly. You did the best you could.”

“If I did she wouldn’t still be mission in that Forrest.” Rick shot back.

Daryl reached over laying a hand on his husband’s thigh before telling him. “We are going to find that little girl.”

“We don’t know that.” Rick pointed out.

“I do because I’m not gonna stop until I do.”

**********************************************************************************

“We need to talk.” Lori pointed out as she walked over to Shane who was sitting on the fence at the side of the highway.

“What about?” Shane asked not looking over at his wife.

“What happened at the C.D.C.” Lori told him as she sat down. “It can’t happen again.”

“And it won’t.” Shane promised his eyes not leaving the trees in front of them. “It was a mistake.”

“I get that it’s been hard, thinking Rick was dead and him coming back.” Lori sighed. “And I’m sorry I lost it with you. But you haven’t exactly seemed happy to have him back.”

“Of course I am Lori.” Shane finally took his eyes of the trees looking over his wife next to him. “He’s my best friend, my brother-in-law. But it has been hard. Man before Rick got back that kid relied on us. We looked after him and Rick comes back and it’s kind of like we didn’t help for two bloody months.”

“We helped.” Lori agreed. “We had to help because that boy had just lost one of his dad’s and the other was grieving the loss of his husband. And Carl is our nephew so we helped, when Daryl needed to hunt to get us food we looked after him. But Rick is back and Carl is so happy to have him back.”

“I love that boy.” Shane insisted. “And Daryl he treats me like I’m nothing to him.”

“Daryl spent about two months thinking his husband of fifteen years was dead. He was allowed to be protective of his son.” Lori pointed out. “And you did over step a few times.”

“What because I cared about the boy I was overstepping.” Shane asked his voiced raised a little but not too much that he would wake everyone else up.

“No because when Daryl did put us in charge then we were the ones to tell him what to do. But when Daryl was there he’s Carl’s dad, he gets to decided what Carl can or can’t do. And you would double guess him sometimes.” Lori tried to explain.

“So what do you suggest I do?” Shane asked a little bit of his annoyance seeping through.

“Just take a step back.”

“I’m leaving anyway.” Shane said as he stood up. “So it doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Lori asked but Shane just carried on walking away ignoring his wife.

**********************************************************************************

Rick opens up the case onto of the hood of car looking down at all the various weapons. “Everybody take a weapon.”

“These aren’t the weapons we need.” Andrea said still not happy about the day before. “We need guns.”

“We’ve been over this.” Shane said with a sigh. “Daryl, Rick and I are carrying. We can’t have people popping off round every time a tree rustles.”

“It’s not the trees I’m worried about.” Andrea said her annoyance clear in her voice.

“Say someone fie at the wrong moment, a herd happens to be passing by. See, then its game over for all of us.” Shane pointed out letting his own annoyance into his voice. “So you need to get over it.”

Daryl looked between the two of them deciding that he had had enough of their bullshit and told them, “The idea it to take the creek up about five miles, turn around and comeback, do the same on the other side. Chances are she’ll be by the creek. It’s her only landmark.”

“Stay quiet and stay sharp.” Rick said as everyone grabbed one of the weapons. “Keep space between you but always stay within the sight of each other.”

“Everyone get what you need.” Shane said as he walked away from the car.

Rick looked over at Dale who was currently sitting on the top of the RV keeping look out. “Dale, keep on those repairs. We’ve got to get his RV ready to move.”

“We won’t stay here a minute longer then we have to.” Dale agreed. “Good luck out there and bring Sophia back.”

“Keep an eye on Carl while we gone please?” Rick asked.

“I’m going with you.” Carl argued a little mad that his dad would even think he was planning on staying. “You need people right? To cover as much ground as possible.”

Rick groaned looking over at his husband who just shook his head. “I’ve had to be the bad guy for months your turn.”

“Well, he had all of you to look after him.” Dale started with a little wink towards Carl. “I’d say he was in good hands.”

“Okay, okay.” Rick put his hands up. ”But always within our sight, no exceptions.”

Carl just nodded a smile on his face satisfied with his dad’s answer.

**********************************************************************************

Carl slowed down a bit letting Shane catch up with him before he looked over to his excitedly. “Shane look.” Carl lifted up the knife in his hands proudly showing it to his uncle. “Dad said I could carry it.”

“Keep it down.” Shane said the words coming out just a little bit harsher than he had expected them to. “Were looking for Sophia. You need to focus on the task.”

“Got to keep up.” Lori said looking at her nephew behind her. “Your dad’s will worry.”

“I am.” Carl insisted as he caught up with everyone else.

“You okay?” Lori asked noticing the look on the boy’s face.

“I think Shane’s mad at me.” Carl looked down at the floor in front of him. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No.” Lori shock her head. “You did nothing wrong. He’s just worried about Sophia.”

“She could be in there.” Shane pointed out when the group spotted a tent.

“A whole bunch of things could be in there.” Daryl pointe out as he got everyone to stop.

Rick turned round to look at Carol before telling her. “Call out softly. If she’s in their she’ll come out to your voice.”

“Sophia, sweetie.” Carol said as softly as she could. “Are you in there?” Carol, Rick and Daryl moved closer to the tent the rest of them staying back for look out. “Sophia its mummy. Sophia. We’re all here baby.”

As Carol was talking Daryl walked up to the tent his knife help up high as he tried to see if he could get a look at what was inside.

“It’s mummy.” Carol said when she and Rick reached the tent. “Sophia.”

Daryl looked over at Rick as he moved back to the front, when Rick nodded Daryl carefully grabbed the zip opening the tent. Both Rick and Daryl moved their head away when the tent finally opened the stench hitting their faces.

Daryl quickly got over the smell making his way into the tent slowly and over to the chair in the middle. Daryl started down at the body before he spotted a gun in the man’s hand grabbing it just as he heard Carol’s nervous calling of his name.

“Daryl.” Carol called again as the man himself shoved the gun into the back of his trousers and stepped out of the tent.

“It ain’t here.” Daryl told her.

“What’s in there?” Carol asked.

“Some guy.” Daryl shrugged as he picked his crossbow back up from the floor. “Did what Jenner said, opted out.”

Three of them made their way to the rest of the group as the sound of church bells could be heard.

“What direction.” Shane asked looking around, not able to pin point where the sound was coming from.

Daryl pointed and the group all started to make their way. “I think that way.” Rick said as they continued to try and find their way in the forest.

“Damn, it’s hard to tell out here.” Shane sighed.

“If we heard them then maybe Sophia did.” Carol pointed out, hope clear in her voice.

“Someone’s ringing those bells.” Glenn pointed out. “Maybe calling others.”

“Or signalling they found her.” Andrea suggested

“She could be ringing them herself.” Rick pointed out. “Come one.”

**********************************************************************************

“Shouldn’t you be fixing the RV.?” T-dog said as he climbed to the top of the RV. “What if they come back with Sophia and Rick wants to leave straight away?”

“I had it fixed yesterday.” Dale said as he lowered his binoculars.

“What?” T-dog asked shocked. “What was all that rubbing and sanding then? That’s just bullshit.”

“Yeah, that’s one word.” Dale said with a nod. “Another world would be pantomime, just for show. No one else needs to know that.”

T-dog looked at Dale not believing what he was hearing. “Pantomime>”

“If the others know were mobile, they’ll want to mobilize and move on.” Dale pointed out.

“Do you don’t think they’re going to find Sophia then?” T-dog asked.

“I’m just guarding for the worst.” Dale explained not willing to take the chance that people would leave before they found the little girl. “Sooner or later, if she’s not found people will start doing the math. I want to hold off the need of the many verses the needs of the few arguments as long as I can.”

“That is one tricky hose.” T-dog said understanding where Dale was coming and willing to play along.

“Very.” Dale nodded.

**********************************************************************************

The group all ran through the trees reaching a small clearing a church sitting in the middle.

“That can’t be it.” Shane said as they stopped at the edge of the clearing. “Got no steeple, no bells.” Rick ignored his friend as he continued to move towards the church. “Rick.”

Rick let himself speed up until he was running towards the church everyone else running behind him to keep up.

Rick and Daryl walked up the stairs of the church both of them pushing one door open and walking in with their weapons raised.

The three walkers in the church quickly turned around at the sound of the door opening. Daryl making quick work on the one closest to him and shooting an arrow in its head before heading towards the next one knife raised, as Rick headed towards the last one his own knife raised.

Both men made quick work of the two remaining walkers before everyone else made their way into the church Shane shouting, “Sophia.”

Shane walked up to Rick saying. “I’m telling you it’s the wrong church. It’s got no steeple Rick. There’s no steeple.” Just as Shane stopped talking the bells starting ringing again proving the man wrong.

Daryl and Rick made their way through the group standing at the door Daryl quickly spotting the speaker as they rounded the side of the church.

Glenn made his way over to the box cutting the wire and turning the sound off.

“It’s on a timer.” Daryl informed them.

“I’m gonna go in for a bit.” Carol told them before she walked away and back into the church.

Once everyone had made their way back into the church Lori walked up to her husband and told him, “Carl thinks you hate him.”

“I love that kid, you know I do.” Shane insisted.

“Then why are you pushing him away?” Lori asked not understanding where her husband’s head was at right now.

“Just need to put some distance between us.” Shane told her. “Like you said last night I ain’t his dad.”

“Doesn’t mean you get to be like that to your own nephew.” Lori almost shouted. “That kid had always looked up to you, almost as much as he looks up to his own dads. You can take a step back and still be his uncle. And your planning on leaving, not only that little boy who does love you but your own wife.”

“There’s nothing for me here Lori.” Shane said trying to keep his temper under control.

“I’m here.” Lori pointed out. “You’re leaving me.” Lori told him before she turned around and walked up the stairs into the church.

“I’m coming with you.” Andrea said shocking Shane who had thought no one else was there.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Shane denied not wanting the news that he was planning on leaving to reach Rick.

“I’m not stupid. I just heard you.” Andrea pointed out. “I’m just asking for a ride Shane, a chance to start over.”

“So what? Say we do, we just run off. What’s in it for me except for the extra ass I got to cover?” Shane asked.

“The chance to do something for someone else.” Andrea tried hoping that the fact he was a cop before everything happened that he would want to help people.

“Yeah.” Shane said that not being enough for him.

“And the door swings both ways.” Andrea said deciding to try a different tactic. “Put a gun in my hand’ I’ll cover your ass.” Shane scoffed not believing Andrea had it in her to protect him. “Just think about it.”

**********

Rick stood at the back of the church Carl by his side, his heart breaking as he listened to Carol pray for her daughter to be brought back to her.

“Stay in here.” Rick told Carl as he pushed himself away from the wall walking out of the church when he got a nod from his son.

“Got to move from here man.” Shane said as Rick walked up to him. “These people are spent. There’s only so many hours of daylight left. We still got a long way back.”

“I can’t stop yet.” Rick shock his head not willing to give up on the little girl yet that day.

“We still got a lot of ground to cover.” Shane pointed out. “Whole other side of the creek bed. So we search that on our way back.”

“She could have heard the church bells.” Rick pointed out as the rest of the group started to make their way out of the church. “She could be nearby,”

“She could be a lot of things.”

“I can’t go back, not when here being out her is my fault.” Rick insisted.

“That’s great.” Shane sighed annoyed. “Now you’re doubting yourself, huh?”

“What about you?” Rick looked round at his best friend. “You doubting me?”

“Hey, we can assign all kinds of blame.” Shane said not really answering the question.

“This means something, finding her.” Rick insisted. “It could be the miracle we all need.”

“Oh man.” Shane sighed before he turned round to face the rest of the group clearing his voice. “Y’all gonna follow the creek bed back okay? Daryl you’re in charge. Me and Rick, were gonna hang back, search this area another hour or so. Juts to be through.”

“You’re splitting us up.” Daryl said not liking the idea of going back without his husband. “You sure?”

Daryl had directed his question to his husband but Shane answered. “Yeah’ well catch up to you.”

“I want to stay too.” Carl argued. “I’m her friend.”

Daryl looked reluctantly between his husband and son before he nodded down at Carl. “You gonna be careful though okay?”

“I will.” Carl promised.

Rick walked up to his husband and son as everyone else started to get ready to leave. “You sure splitting up is the way to go?”

“Yeah.” Rick nodded as he placed a hand on Daryl’s shoulder knowing his husband must be worried if he didn’t shrug it off straight away. “I’ll catch up soon enough. Promise.”

Daryl nodded before reluctantly leaving with the rest of the group.

“Take this.” Shane said as he walked up to his wife.

“I can’t.” Lori shock her head. “Not gonna leave you out here with no gun.”

“Take this.” Daryl said as he walked past the two of them taking out the gun he had found in the tent.

Lori smiled gratefully at her brother-in-law before the two of them walked back into the Forrest the rest of their group following behind.

“So this is it?” Carol asked as they walked through the Forrest and back to the river. “This is the whole plan?”

“I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups.” Daryl muttered still not a hundred percent happy about them splitting up.

“Carrying knives and pointy sticks.” Andrea moaned as she walked past Lori. “I see you got a gun.”

“Why, you want it?” Lori asked annoyed. “I’m sick of the looks you’re giving me.” Lori handed her gun out to Andrea. “I never liked these things anyway, so take it.”

Andrea took the gun of Lori before walking ahead of her and towards the front of the group.

**********************************************************************************

Rick, Shane and call all stop when they spot a deer, partically blocked from sight by a branch.

Carl looks at the deer entranced by the thing as it walked out from behind the tree shacking its head.

“Hey.” Rick told Shane when the man pulled his gun up pointing to were Carl was slowly starting to make his way closer to the deer.

Rick watched his son with the biggest smile on his face as Carl carefully made his way closer being careful not to spook the thing. Nodding his head when Carl looked back at him.

Rick Watched Carl make his way forward for what felt like forever smile never leaving his face, relieved at the fact that even in a world like the one they now lived in, Carl was still so captivated by animals.

Rick’s smile quickly dropped though when the sound of a gun shot rang out knocking both the deer and Carl to the ground.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Rick shouted as he ran towards his son the momentary happiness he was feeling now completely filled with dread as he kneeled down beside Carl desperately trying to find pulse.


	2. Bloodletting

_**“All we seem to be doing right now is fighting.” Lori sighed as she talked to one of her friends outside Carl’s school waiting for her nephew to come out for the day. “I don’t think we’ve gone a single day this week without an argument.”** _

_**“I’m sorry hun.” Lori’s friend Lucy smiled sadly at her. “Men can be jerks.”** _

_**“Thing is if were being honest, this time he wasn’t the asshole.” Lori sighed thinking back to the fight her and Shane had that morning before he left for work. “I don’t even remember what the fuck we were arguing about, I don’t half the time.”** _

_**“Don’t beat yourself up.” Lucy told her trying to be reassuring. “I’m sure it’s just a rough patch. Things will get better soon.”** _

_**“I just don’t know how much more of this fighting I can take.” Lori admitted looking down at the floor. “It’s just us yelling at each other all the time now, I don’t know when we not yelling.”** _

_**“Do you still love Shane?” Lucy asked.** _

_**“I’ve been asking that myself a lot. I think sometimes the answer is yes.” Lori sighed hating to admit all this but knowing she needed to. “And I’m trying to remember how things used to be with us, how that works. Maybe we just married to young.”** _

_**Before Lucy got the chance to say reply Lori’s phone started.** _   
_**Lori looked down at her phone seeing Shane’s contact and excusing herself to answer knowing that Shane wouldn’t be calling during work if it wasn’t important.** _

_**“What happened?” Lori asked as soon as she answered.** _

_**“Rick got shot.” Shane told her making her heat drop,** _

_**“Is he alive?” She asked as the school bell went.** _

_**“He’s in surgery.” Lori could hear the worry in her husband’s voice and knew things weren’t looking good.** _

_**“Have you told Daryl?”** _

_**“First person I called.” Shane confirmed.** _

_**“How did it happen?” Lori asked needing to know what happened.** _

_**“There was a radio call that said there was only two suspects in a car, there was three.” Shane told her not going into too much detail.** _

_**“I’m at the school to pick up Carl now.” Lori reminded her husband as kids started to pour out of the building. “What am I supposed to tell him?”** _

_**“Nothing for now. Daryl wants to be the one, just take him home and act like things are normal.” Shane told her just as Lori spotted her nephew.** _

_**“He’s out, I’ll call you back later.” Lori promised before she ended the call and looked over at Carl a fake smile plastered on her face. “Hey little man.”** _

_**“Hey Aunt Lori.” Carl smiled up at her. “Do you know what time my dad’s getting me?”** _

_**Lori tried not to let her smile falter as she looked down at the boy who had no idea his father could die. “I don’t know bud, depends if he gets of work on time.” Lori led the two of them back to the car waving goodbye to Lucy who gave a comforting look. “But I have some fun things planned that we can do till he comes to get you.”** _

_************** _

_**Lori tried not to let her emotions get the best of her as she walked into Rick’s room. “How is he?” She asked looking over at Daryl who was sitting by his husband’s bedside.** _

_**“Same as always.” Daryl sighed the emotions he was feeling clear in his voice, Lori had never heard the man sound so broken in the twenty years they had known each other.** _

_**“He’s gonna back it through this.” Lori said as she sat down on the opposite side of Rick’s bed to her brother-in-law.** _

_**“We don’t know that.” Daryl pointed out, he had been trying to think about things as they really were knowing that if he got his hopes up and Rick didn’t make it, it would be a hundred times harder. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”** _

_**“I know.” Lori nodded, she wasn’t trying to delude herself she knew her brother might not make it through this but unlike her brother-in-law she had to let herself have hope it was the only way she was going to make it through this. “But Rick is strong and he’s not going to stop fighting for you or Carl.”** _

_************** _

_**“We need to leave Lori.” Shane shouted at his wife for what felt like the hundredth time.** _

_**“We have time.” Lori sighed fed up of this argument. “We have time, we don’t need to leave right now.”** _

_**“You don’t know that.” Shane pointed out, his voice quitter then it had been a minute ago but still really loud. “You don’t know if we have time.”** _

_**“So what you want me to just leave my family, my brother my nephew?” Lori asked not believing this.** _

_**“No, were gonna get Daryl and Carl and they’re gonna come with us.” Shane corrected her as he tried to calm himself down.** _

_**“Daryl is never gonna leave Rick, not the way he is.” Lori pointed out as she let herself fall back onto the sofa.** _

_**"Then we take Carl with us and Daryl can stay here until Rick’s been moved, but we can’t risk staying here.” Shane sighed getting annoyed that his wife just wasn’t understanding the urgency of everything.** _

_**“You really think Daryl’s going to let us take his son?” Lori asked. “With everything that’s happened with Rick and everything that’s happening in the world right now there’s no way Daryl is letting that boy out of his sight.”** _

_**Shane sighed as he tried not to let his voice raise again knowing that shouting about this wasn’t going to help and that the one thing he needed to do right now was get his wife out of this town and somewhere safe. “Then he’s getting the boy killed. The safest option for us right now is to get the hell out of dodge and you know it.”** _

_**“Rick is getting transferred in just over a week, we just need to wait it out till then.” Lori pointed out. “Just over a week then were all going to be safe, our whole family.”** _

_**“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Shane told her. “But fine just over a week, if nothing happens and Rick’s still in the hospital were leaving with or without them.” Shane didn’t give Lori a chance to reply as he walked out of their living and upstairs, getting everything ready for their impending trip.** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Carl.” Rick almost sobbed as he pulled Carl against him. “Carl.”

A man walked out from between the tree hunting rifle in hand looking down at the dead deer and little boy bleeding out on the floor a shock and horrified look on his face.

“You.” Shane shouted when he spotted the man knowing that he was being too loud and that he could attract more walkers but not caring, this man shot an innocent kid. “What the fuck did you just do?”

“Sorry.” The man shouted back panic written all over his face. “Is he still alive?”

Rick reached his arm round trying to find a pulse on his son’s neck sighing in relief when he found it. “He’s alive.”

“Not to far away.” The man started his voice just as panicked as the last time he spoke. “There’s a doctor he can help your son. You just need to get him there.”

Rick just nodded as he pulled his belt of rapping it round Carl’s chest, trying to stop as much of the bleeding as he could. “What direction?”

“That way.” The man pointed in the direction he had just come in as Shane walked over to.

“You’re coming with us and you’re going to make sure we get there.” Shane told him as he grabbed the man’s shoulder his rage boiling over the edge.

“Yeah, yeah.” The man nodded guilt evident in his voice. “I help.”

Rick picked his son up cradling him to his chest before he started running. He just needed to get his son somewhere safe, it’s all he needed to do.

They reached the edge of the forest running out into a clearing and as Rick had to stop to shift Carl higher up so that he didn’t fall he briefly looked back at the man who pointed straight ahead. Rick carried on running trying to ignore the noises coming from his son and just focus on getting him there as quickly as he could.

“Hey shithead.” Shane shouted when the man started to lag behind looking like he was going to fall over at any minute. “Come on.”

“How far?” Rick shouted back towards them. “How far.”

“Another half a mile.” The man said as he finally fell to the floor. “Hershel, he’ll help your boy.”

Rick just nodded to himself as he carried on running, the pure fear of losing his son making him run faster than he’s ever ran.

“I’m sorry.” The man gasped as Shane pulled him back to his feet. “I’m so sorry.”

“Lets go.” Shane just shouted at him as he pulled the man along with him.

Rick let out a small sigh of relief when he spotted a small house on a farm knowing that this was the place the man had meant and he picked up his speed needing to get there quicker, needing his son to be okay.

“Dad.” Rick heard shouted as he got closer to the house.

Rick felt like he was going to collapse when he reached a tree just outside the entrance to the house as a group of people walked out of it lead by an older man.

“Was he bit?” The older man asked before Rick could get to close.

Rick shock his head. “Shot. By your man.” That was all it took for the people to start making their way down the stairs and over to Rick. “Otis.” Rick heard one of them saying as they did.

“He said to find Hershel. It that you?” Rick said as the man finally reached him, “Help me.” He begged when Hershel nodded. “Help my boy.”

“Get him inside.” Hershel pointed into the house before he started walking back over to his Rick close on his heel, Carl still clutched tightly to his chest. “Patricia, I need my full med kit.” Hershel ordered as they walked through the front door rolling the ends of his sleeves up as he did. “Maggie, painkiller, coagulates, grab everything.” Hershel order as they walked into a room. “Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. In here.”

Rick laid Carl down on the bed as softly as he could desperately asking. “Is he alive?”

“Pillowcase.” Hershel told him but all Rick did was ask, “Is he alive?” Hershel got to work taking both the belt and Carl’s top of as he said. “Pillowcase quick.”

Rick finally listened to the man as he grabbed the nearest pillow stripping it of its case. “Is he alive?”

“Fold it, make a pad. Put pressure on the wound.” Hershel told him as he searched for a heartbeat. “I’ve got a heartbeat, its faint bit it’s there.”

Rick used the pillow case and put pressure on the wound trying not to look down at his son’s pale lifeless face.

“I’ve got it.” The women that Hershel had called Patricia said as she pushed Rick out the way.

“We need some space.” Maggie told Rick when he didn’t move that far back.  
“What’s your name?” Hershel asked. “Name.” He repeated when it was clear that Rick hadn’t heard.  
“Rick.”  
“Rick?” Hershel asked noticing that the man didn’t sound very sure.  
“I’m…. I’m Rick.”  
“Rick, were going to do everything we can.” Hershel assure the panicked father. “But you need to give us some room, now.”

Rick nodded as he stumbled out of the room, and out of the house to where he could hear Shane still shouting at the guy.

“Move, move.” Shane shouted to Otis as they finally reached the fence near the house.

Rick took his hat off as Shane walked up the stairs. “He’s alive?” Otis asked his voice showing that he needed to be right. “He’s still alive right?”

Rick reached his hand up wiping his forehead and smearing blood on it. Shane grabbed a clothes out of his backpack using it wipe the blood of his best friends face. He placed the cloth in Ricks hand as he said softly. “Were it her?” Rick turned around heading for the door Shane following behind. “IS he okay?”

Rick showed the other two men to the room they had taken Carl trying not to cry at the sight of his son.

“Do you know his blood type?” Hershel asked when Rick reached the bed.

“A positive.” Rick told him. “Same as mine.”

“That’s fortunate.” Hershel told him a little relived. “Don’t wander far, I’m gonna need you.” Hershel turned to look at Otis who was standing awkwardly at the door of the room. “What happened?”

“I was tracking a buck, bullet went straight through.” Otis explained his voice sounding broken and raked with quilt.

“Went clean through.” Hershel confirmed. “The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved his life. But it did not go clean.” Hershel shock his head getting ready to tell them the bad part of the news. “It broke up into pieces. If I get the bullet fragments out… and I’m counting six.”

“I never saw him.” Otis told them as he walked up the Patricia. “Not until he was on the ground.”

“Daryl doesn’t know.” Rick said as he tuned to face Shane. “He doesn’t know. My husband doesn’t know.”

Shane pulled Rick to him trying to help comfort his friend who was slowly breaking down now that they had Carl somewhere safe.

**********************************************************************************

“You still worrying about it?” Andrea asked as she looked behind her at Lori.

“It was a gunshot.” Lori pointed out.

“We all heard it.” Daryl reminded her as he tried to keep focused on getting everyone back and not the fact that his husband had to us his gun.

“Why one?” Lori asked as she came to a stop. “Why just one gun shot?”

“Maybe they took down a walker.” Andrea suggested as they rest of them all stopped.

“Please don’t patronize me.” Lori told her. “Neither of them would risk a gunshot with one walker. They’d do it quietly.”

“Shouldn’t they have caught up with us?” Carol asked agreeing with Lori’s worry.

“There’s nothing we can do about it.” Daryl hated having to admit that but he knew it was true, either Rick and Carl were okay and they were making their way back or they weren’t and right now stuck in that forest there was nothing he could do about it. “Can’t run around these woods chasing echoes. That’s how everybody gets lost.”

Lori looked over at her brother-in-law knowing that if he wasn’t a way for them to go find out what happened, at least not right now. “So what do we do?”

“Same as we’ve been.” Daryl told them as he started walking again. “Beat the bush for Sophia, work out way back to the highway. They’ll meet us back there.”

“I’m sorry for what you’re going through.” Andrea said to Carol as the rest of the group started to make their way back. “I know how you feel.”

“I suppose you do.” Carol nodded as she started following the rest of the group not wanting to lose them. “The thought of her out here on all by herself, it’s the not knowing that kills me.” Carol confessed, the two of them keeping a small distance from everyone else. “I just keep hoping and praying she doesn’t wind up like those things.”

“We’re all hoping and praying with you.” Andrea promised. “For what it’s worth.”

“I’ll tell you what it’s worth.” Daryl said as he turned around to look at them. “Not a damn thing. It’s a waste of time, cause we’re gonna locate that girl, she’s gonna be fine.” Daryl promised her before he turned back round saying, “I’m I the only one Zen around here? Good lord.”

**********

“Why’d I let him come with us?” Rick asked as he and Shane stood outside the bedroom Carl was in. “I should have sent him with Daryl.”

“You know, you start that you’ll never get that monkey off your back.” Shane told him.

“Little girl goes missing, you look for her.” Rick sighed as he leaned against the wall. “You told me to call it, to head back.”

“Doesn’t matter what I said.”

“Carl got shot because I wouldn’t cut bait. It should be me in there.” Rick said feeling like he could just fall apart at any second.

Shane chuckled a little at his friend as his place a hand on Rick’s shoulder. “You’ve been there, partner.” He reminded Rick. “And you pulled through. So will he.”

“Is this why I made it out of that hospital?” Rick asked with a homerless laugh. “To find my family and everything end up like this? This has to be some kind of sick joke?”

“Stop it Rick.” Shane told him hating to see his friend standing there and blaming himself for something someone else did. “Just stop.”

Both men looked over when they heard the door open, Maggie walking out. “Rick, he needs blood.”

The moment the words are out of her mouth Rick is walking past Shane and into the room.

Rick’s heart broke a little more as he heard his son’s cry’s watching as Hershel tried to find the bullet.

“You.” Hershel looked over at Shane who had walked in behind Rick. “I need you to hold him down.”

“Dad.” Carl cried when he noticed Rick who was standing next to Patricia letting her get everything ready to give Carl blood.

“Almost there.” Hershel said as Carl’s cries continued only getting louder.

“Stop.” Rick shouted unable to hear his son’s desperation anymore. “You’re killing him!”

“Do you want him to live?” Hershel asked Rick who just nodded.

“He need’s blood.” Patricia tod him.

“Do it now!” Shane shouted at Rick as the man let Patricia stick a needle into his arm the crying stopping. “Wait, wait.”

“He just passed out.” Hershel assured them as he finally got the first part of the bullet out. “One down. Five to go.”

*****

“Pressure’s stable.” Hershel said once he had looked over Carl.

“Daryl needs to be here.” Rick said as he looked over at Shane from his spot in the chair next to Carl’s bed, giving his son blood. “He doesn’t even know what’s going on. I’ve got to get him.”

“You can’t do that.” Hershel told him.

“He’s Carl’s dad, he needs to know what happened to his son, that his son’s been shot.” Rick tried not to let himself shout but his worry was getting the best of him.

“And he needs your blood. You can’t get more than fifty feet from his bed.” Hershel told him and Shane.

“Daryl has to be here.” Rick looked over at his friend desperately.

“Okay, I get that and I’m gonna handle it.” Shane promised him. “But you gotta handle your end.”

“My-my end?” Rick asked as Patricia removed his IV.

“Your end is being here for your son. Even if he didn’t need your blood to survive, there is no way I’d ever let you walk out that door.” Shane told him, finding it hard to believe that Rick would even consider leaving right now. “Is somthing happened to him and you weren’t here…. If he slipped away while you were gone, you would never forgive yourself for that. And neither would Daryl man.”

“Your right.” Rick agreed, now that Shane pointed out that they could lose Carl and that he needed to be their if it happened, not being able to leave him for anything.

“When was I ever wrong?” Shane asked making the two of them laugh a little. “Carl he needs you, he needs you to be strong. So you wire yourself tight, my friend.”

“Hmmm?”

“You hear? You’ve got the hard part, just leave the rest to me.”

“All right.” Rick agreed his friend quickly echoing his words.

“He’s out of danger at the moment.” Hershel spoke up. “But I need to remove those remaining fragments.”

“How?” Rick asked a little terrified. “You saw how he was.”

“I know, and that was the shallowest one.” Hershel agreed a little scared at what was to come. “I need to go deeper for the others.”

“Oh man.” Shane muttered hating the idea as much as the other two men did.

“There’s more.” Hershel admitted.

“Tell me.” Rick told him not having time for someone to be beating around the bush.

“His belly’s distended, his pressure is dropping, which means there’s internal bleeding. A fragment must have nicked one of the blood vessels.” Hershel started making both Rick and Shane wince at the pain the boy was going to have to go through, and the worry on Rick’s face grew even more. “I have to open him up, find the bleeder and stitch it. And he can’t move while I’m in there, I mean at all. If he reacts the same as he did before, I’ll sever an artery and he’ll be dead in minutes. To even try this I have to put him under. But if I do, he won’t be able to breathe on his own. Same bad results.”

“What’ll it take?” Rick asked willing to do anything in the world to make sure his son lived/

“You need a respirator.” Otis said from where he was standing at the door. “What else?”

“The tube that goes with it, extra surgical supplies, drapes, suture.” Hershel listed off.

“If you need all that to save him?”

“If I had all that I could try.” Hershel confirmed.

“Nearest hospital went up in flames months ago.” Otis pointed out looked over at Hershel. “The high school.”

“That’s what I was thinking.” Hershel agreed with a nod as he walked closer to the man, facing Rick and Shane as he explained, “They set up a fema shelter there, they would have everything we need.”

“Place was overrun last time I saw it.” Otis pointed out what little hope he had on his face draning away. “You couldn’t get near it. Maybe it’s better now though.”

“I said leave the rest to me. Is it too late to take that back?” Shane joked.

“I hate you going alone.” Rick told him not knowing if he could deal with almost losing another person he loved, let alone actually losing them.

“Come on.” Shane said in a voice that said how could you doubt me. “Doc, why don’t you do me a list and draw me a map?”

“You won’t need a map.” Otis said as he stood up a little taller and straighter. “I’ll take you there. Ain’t but five miles.”

“Otis no.” Patricia protested.

“Honey,” Otis turned round to look at Patricia a comforting look on his face. “We don’t have time for guesswork and I’m responsible. I ain’t gonna sit here while this fella takes this on alone. I’ll be all right.”

“You sure about this?” Shane asked, himself not sure about taking the other man along, especially after what he did to Carl.

“Do you even know what any of the stuff he’s talking about looks like?” Otis asked.

“Come to think of it.” Shane said knowing the man made a good point but still not very happy about him tagging along. “No.”

“I’ve been a volunteer EMT. I do.” Otis told him. “We can talk about this till next Saturday or we could just go do it real quick.”

“I’ll take real quick.” Shane said willing to work with the man if it meant Carl lived.

“I should thank you.” Rick said looking over at Otis, not having blamed the man once since he found out what really happened.

“Wait till that boy of yours is up and around.” Otis said his guilt still eating up at him. “Then we’ll talk. I’ll gather some things.”

“Were is he?” Maggi asked as she walked into the room, Otis walking the other way out. “Your husband?” She clarified.

*********

“Get what you need and get out of there.” Rick said to Shane as they two of them plus Hershel and Otis walked out to the truck.

Otis pulled Patricia into a hug as Rick walked up to them handing his gun to the man. Otis nervously took the gun. “That’s a mighty fine weapon Rick, I’ll bring it back to you, in good shape.”

Otis gave Patricia one last look goodbye before he and Shane walked round the side of the truck both getting in.

Shane looked down at the guns between them instantly spotting the one Otis had been using when he shot Carl.

“It’s the only one I got.” Otis said noticing straight away where Shane’s eyes had gone and what he was thinking.

Shane just shocked his head as he moved to look out the window while Otis started the truck. “This turned into one strange day.”

“Didn’t it though.” Otis agreed as he pulled out, making their way to the high school hoping they found everything they needed.

“Let’s check on your boy.” Hershel said to Rick as the truck pulled away.

**********************************************************************************

Dale walked back over to the RV were T-dog was sitting down against it and said, “Found some more batteries, a bottle of very trendy pink water, an excellent new machete, and I thought Glenn might like this guitar.” Dale held up said guitar for T-dog to see. “He might play. No drugs though you?”

“Yeah, ibuprofen and these.” T-dog held up a bottle off pills that wouldn’t be very useful to with his arm. “What are we doing?”

“Pulling supplies together.” D

“No I mean… what are we going?” T-dog gestured between the two of them with his good arm. “People are off in the woods, they’re looking for that poor girl and we’re here. Why? ‘Cause they think we’re the weakest. What are you 70?”

“64.” Dale corrected.

“Hu-huh.” T-dog nodded like he wasn’t sure if he a hundred percent agreed the man. “And I’m the one back guy. Realize hoe precarious that make my situation.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Dale asked as T-dog tried to push himself up from the floor.

“I’m talking about the two good-old-town sheriffs and a redneck whose brother cut off his own hand because I dropped a key.” T-dog said as he finally got to his feet. “Who in that scenario you think is gonna be the first to get lynched?”

“You can’t be serious.” Dale finding it hard to believe what he was hearing. “Am I missing something> those cowboys have done all right by us. And If I’m not mistaken that redneck went out of his way to save your ass… more than once.”

“And don’t forget about Andrea. Kills her own sister.” T-dog continued to rant shocking Dale even more.

“She was already dead.” Dale pointed out as he tried to walk closer to the man.

“Then wants to blow herself up, yeah she’s all there.”

“She just lost her sister, she’s having a tough time. What the hell is wrong with you?” Dale was starting to get a little mad and it was obvious in his tone of voice as he tried to get T-dog to stop moving.

“The whole world is having a tough time.” T-dog pointed out as he continued to pace. “Same man, open your eyes!” T-dog was yelling now, “Look where we are stuck in this this mess here!”

“Shhh.” Dale said knowing that two of them wouldn’t be able to cope on their own if T-dog’s shouting attracted more walkers.

“Let’s just go.” T-dog started to move back towards the RV pulling the door open. “Let’s just take the RV.”

“You’re going off the deep end.” Dale said as he reached out to stop T-dog. “Oh my god.” He muttered when he finally did stop the man. “You’re burning up.” Dale reached into his pocket taking out the pill bottle T-dog had found. “Take these. We’ve got to knock that fever down.”

**********************************************************************************

“How much further?” Lori asked as the group continued to walk through the forest back to the highway, everyone getting more than a little bit tired.  
“Not much.” Daryl assured her. “Maybe a hundred yards as the crow flies.”

“Too bad were not crows.” Lori pointed out.

Everyone continued to walk until a loud scream could be heard and they all franticly looked around Lori shouting. “Andrea!” When she realised who it was.

Daryl ran in the direction of the scream the rest of the group following closely behind, as Andrea lost her footing falling to the ground.

As the group finally reached her, the noise of a horse was heard as Maggie came ridding down taking the walker out on her way.

Daryl!” Maggie shouted as she got the horse to stop next to the group.” Daryl Dixon.”

“Me.” Daryl said looking up at the women sceptically.

“Rick sent me.” Maggie told him as she put the bat away on the side of the horse. “You’ve got to come now.”

“What the hell?” Daryl asked not trusting her.

“There’s been an accident. Carls been shot.” Maggie told them and as soon as those words were out of her mouth Daryl felt his blood go could and he knew he would follow her. “He’s still alive but you’ve got to come with me, Rick need you. Just come.”

Daryl looked at the women one more time a little reluctantly before he got on the back of her horse.

“You can’t go with her.” Lori protested. “We don’t know her.”

“Rick said you had other on the highway, that big traffic snarl?” Maggie asked looked down at the rest of the group.

“Uh-huh.” Glenn nodded.

“Backtrack to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is out farm. You’ll see the mailbox. The name is Greene. Hyah.” And with that Maggie had turned round and was riding back to the farm with Daryl.

**********

“Shot what do you mean shot?” Dale asked when the rest of the group had gotten back and filled him in on everything that had happened.

“I don’t know Dale, I wasn’t there. All I know is that some chick rose out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Daryl back with her.” Glenn told him with a sigh.

“And you let him go?” Dale asked not believing what he was hearing.

“Do you really think there was anyway any of us where going to stop him?” Lori asked knowing she was right and that no except maybe Rick and Carl can stop Daryl when he’s got his mind set on somthing. “She knew Rick and Carls names there was no stopping him.”

“I heard screams.” Dale said changing the subject as he turned to face Andrea. “Was that you?”

Glenn nodded before he answered for her. “She got attacked by a walker. It was a close call.”

“Are you alright?”

“Fine.” Andrea muttered not looking over at the man. “Are we gonna go find them or what?”

**********************************************************************************

Rick walked out of the front door and onto the porch walking up to stand next to Hershel. “This place is beautiful.”

“Been in my family for 160 years.” Hershel told him as Rick leaned against the fence.

“I can’t believe how serene it is.” Rick admitted thinking about all the other places he had seen since this all started how everything had seemed at least a little bit run down. “How untouched. You’re lucky.”

“Were weren’t completely unscathed.” Hershel corrected him. “We lost friends, neighbours. The epidemic took my wife, my stepson.”

“I’m sorry.” Rick hated hearing about everything people had lost, it made him wonder why he had been allowed to keep all his family. He was beyond relived and thankful with everything he had that he had kept his family but he didn’t understand why they had decided to spear him of all that.

“My daughters were spared. I’m grateful to god for that. These people here, all we’ve got left of each other.” Hershel pointed around the farm. “Just hoping we can ride it out in peace until there’s a cure.”

“We were at the C.D.C.” Rick started hating the fact that he had to be the person that might ruin this man’s hope. “It’s gone now. There is no cure.”

“I don’t believe that.” Hershel shock his head turning round to look at Rick. “Mankind’s been fighting plagues from the start. We get out behinds kicked for a while the we bounce back. It’s nature correcting herself, restoring some balance.”

“I wish I could believe that.” Rick said as the sounds of hoof beats could be heard and Maggie came riding up to the house.

Rick pretty much ran off the porch as the horse got closer, Daryl jumping of the horse as soon as it had stopped.  
Rick looked over at his husband wanting to do nothing more than to pull him into a bone crushing hug before he had to explain everything that had happed but knowing that out in public like this and that the way Daryl was feeling, a hug would be the worst thing. So instead he just said. “I’m sorry.” Before leading Daryl into the house and into the room with Carl.

The minutes Daryl was in the room he walked over to the side of the bed sitting down and grabbing his son’s hand, fear coursing through him like it had never done before. “What the hell happened?”

**********

“How many transfusions?” Daryl asked a little while later when he noticed how light on his feet Rick was.

“Two, only two.” Rick assured him.

“He wanted to do the same for you.” Daryl told him as he let his eyes travel back down to Carl. “When Shane gets back with this other man.”

“Otis.” Hershel filled in for him.

“The idiot that shot my son.” Daryl corrected not net even wanting to say the man’s name.

“It was an accident.” Hershel pointed out.

“I’ll think bout that. For now he’s the idiot who shot my son.”

“They’re doing everything they can to make that right.” Rick pointed out.

“When they get back, you can perform surgery?” Daryl asked ignoring what his husband had just said.

“I’ll certainly do my best.” Hershel nodded.

“You’ve done it before?” Daryl asked looking back up.

Hershel stood there for a second looking a little nervous before he said. “Well in a sense yes.”

“In a sense?” Daryl asked starting to regret his choice to trust these people. “You’re a doctor right?”

“Of course.” Hershel nodded. “A vet.”

“A combat medic?”

“A veterinarian.” Hershel corrected.

“And you’ve done this surgery on what? Cow? Pigs?” Daryl asked starting to get mad.

“I have.” Rick muttered as he backed up towards a chair. “I have to sit down.”

“Completely in over your head, man.” Daryl told him before he turned his attention back to his son.

“Aren’t we all?”

**********************************************************************************

“I won’t do it.” Carol shocker her head as everyone was getting ready to leave the highway and head to the farm. “We can’t just leave.”

“Carol, the group is split. We’re scattered and were weak.” Dale pointed out not knowing if he was going to be able to convince her to leave.

“What is she comes back and we’re not here?” Carol asked directing her question at the whole group. “It could happen.”

“If Sophia found her way back and were all gone, that would be awful.” Andrea pointed out.

“Okay.” Dale said a plan coming to mind. “You head to the farm meet up with them and I’ll stay here overnight with the RV. Give me a chance to rig up a big sigh, leave some supplies.”

“Thank you.” Carol smiled over at him glad that they would have some way of letting Sophia what happened and also hoping that her daughter would come back that night.

“I’m in.” Andrea said not wanting to let Dale stay there by himself.

“If you’re staying I’m staying…..” Glenn tried to argue but he was interrupted by Dale saying. “Not you, Glenn. You’re going to take Carol’s Cherokee.”

“Me? Why is it always me?” Glenn moaned.

“You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what’s going on. But most important, you have to get T-dog there.” Dale told Glenn hating to think what would have happened if they hadn’t found these people, both for Carl’s sack and T-dogs. “That is not an option. That cut had gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection. Get him to that farm okay.”  
Glenn just nodded before the group all walked over to their vehicles to make their way to the farm.

**********************************************************************************

Shane opened the door knocking something over and making a loud noise causing a few walkers to turn round and face the two of them.

“Damit.” Shane said probably a little too loudly before he made a run for it Otis close behind.

The two of them ran round the side of the school trying to find a way out, Otis struggling to keep up as they ran down a flight of stairs coming face to face with another group of Zombies who had heard the commotion.

Shane spotted a building next to them making a run for it he found the doors looked, standing back his gun raided he shot the windows open twice before they ran through the shattered glass pulling gate closed from in inside and closing it, hoping it would give them enough time to find a way back and get the medical supplies they had found to Carl before it was to late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.


	3. Save the last one

_**“I know this had been really hard.” Rick sighed as he and Daryl stood in the kitchen trying not to let their conversation turn into an argument. “But is leaving really the right option?”** _

_**Daryl sighed his eyes looked on the fridge across from him not wanting to see the look on his husband’s face. “I’m not leaving, just going away for a few days.”** _

_**“No you’re running away from your problems.” Rick corrected not wanting to be mad at his husband with everything he was going through but finding it hard not to be. “You’re running away from me and Carl.”** _

_**“I’m not running away. Just leaving for a few days.” Daryl sighed again as he finally looked over at Rick. “I just need to get away for a few days okay. I’ll be back before the end of the week.”** _

_**“What are we supposed to tell Carl?” Rick asked with a sight knowing there was no way of stopping his husband from going away right now.** _

_**“That I’m going on a hunting trip with Merle and I’ll be back in a few days.” Daryl sighed as he pushed himself away from the counter. “It’s just a few days.”** _

_**“A few days.” Rick nodded, deep down knowing that this is what his husband needed right now. “But you’re telling Carl.”** _

_**“Yeah.” Daryl nodded as Rick walked up to him. “It’s late.”** _

_**“I know.” Rick nodded as he pulled Daryl against him. “You better call me every day. Got it.”** _

_**“Got it.” Daryl agreed as he buried his head in Rick’s shoulder. “Everyday.”** _

_************** _

_**“Do you have to go?” Carl asked for the tenth time as Daryl was about to leave.** _

_**“I’m only gonna be gone for a couple days.” Daryl promised from where he was kneeling down in front of his son. “Then I’ll be back, okay and I’m gonna call you every day I’m gone.”** _

_**“Okay.” Carl nodded reluctantly. “I’m gonna miss you.”** _

_**“I’m gonna miss you too.” Daryl said as he pulled Carol in for one last hug. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”** _

_**“We both gonna miss you.” Rick said as Daryl pulled away.** _

_**“Miss you too.” Daryl nodded as Rick pulled him in for a hug. “Love you.”** _

_**“Love you.”** _

_**“Let’s go.” Merle shouted from where he was sat in his car. “Come on Darylina.”** _

_**“I’ll see you on Monday.” Daryl promised before he walked over to his brother’s car and got in. “Go on then drive.”** _

_************************************************************************************** _

_**Daryl felt like the worst person for leaving, he knew what he was doing would be the best for him in the long run.** _   
_**He couldn’t be around people while he tried to sort out everything in his head, and while Rick would give him space he couldn’t ask that of Carl. And he knew that even though he had gone with his brother Merle would mostly leave him alone to do as he liked. And that was what he needed right now.** _

_**“Hey.” Daryl had a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips as he spoke to his husband. “How are you?”** _

_**“I’m fine.” Daryl assured him knowing how much Rick worried whenever he went out hunting.** _

_**“What time you leaving tomorrow?” Rick asked knowing how excited Carl was to see his dad.** _

_**“I’m not.” Daryl admitted with a sigh. “I can’t come back yet.”** _

_**“What?” Rick asked shock taking over. “I thought you said you would only be gone till Monday.** _

_**“That was the plan.” Daryl nodded even though Rick couldn’t see him. “But I’m just not ready yet. I won’t be too much longer.** _

_**“You promised it would only be for a few days.” Rick reminded him.** _

_**“I know.” Daryl sighed the feelings that he was the worst husband and father in the world coming back to him with full force. “I know I did. Few more days.”** _

_**“I know you need time.” Rick wanted to help his husband through this he really did, and he understood what Daryl was feeling but it was hard to agree with the way he was dealing with it. “A couple more days then you have to come back.”** _

_**“A couple more days.” Daryl agreed with a nod.** _

_**“I love you.”** _

_**“I love you too.”** _

_************************************************************************************** _

_**Rick understood why Daryl felt like he needed some time away.** _   
_**He felt like he needed some time away.** _   
_**The last miscarriage had been really hard for both of them. As both of them had been sure that this would be the time it happened. That this time they would get the baby they had been trying for, for longer than either of them could really remember.** _

_**But it seemed like having another baby might not be in the picture for either of them. And Rick was finding that fact a little easy to come to terms with. Rick knew he was and he wanted to give Daryl all the time he needed, but seeing Carl come home on Monday ready to see his dad, to find out that he wasn’t going to be coming home for a few more days. The look on his sons face almost broke him.** _

_**“I know you really want him to come home.” Rick started as he and Carl eat their dinner, Rick not liking how unusually quiet his son was. “But he hasn’t seen uncle Merle in a long time.”** _

_**“He never talks about uncle Merle.” Carl pointed out not looking up from where he was pushing his food around on his plate.** _

_**“I know he doesn’t normally talk about him.” Rick nodded knowing all about the relationship his husband shared with his brother. “But there still brothers and your dad still missed him.”** _

_**“Doesn’t he miss me?” Carl asked his voice so quite it broke Rick’s heart just a little bit more.** _

_**“Of course he does.” Rick said without a second of hesitation. “He love you more than anything in the world Carl, and he misses you so much.”** _

_**“Then why didn’t he come home?”** _

_**“Because things haven’t been very good for uncle Merle.” Rick and Daryl had both decided that Carl didn’t need to know the real reason he went away, that a ten year old didn’t need to know things like that. “And he needs dad’s help. So your dad’s helping him. He’ll be back as soon as he can.”** _

_**“Promise?” Carl asked finally looking up from his food.** _

_**“Promise.” Rick agreed.** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Hershel said you need to eat.” Daryl sighed from his place on the bed next to Carl.

“Carl’s gonna be alright.” Rick said for what Daryl is sure is at least the tenth time in the last hour. “He’s gonna be alright.”

“Just eat the damn food.” Daryl almost snapped not being able to deal with both Carl lying in front of him a gunshot wound in his stomach and his husband refusing to eat any food, even though he had given way too much blood that day. “For me.” Daryl softened a little hoping that would make Rick listen.

Rick just nodded before he looked over at the bed side table reaching over to grab the sandwich. Daryl watched to make sure his husband actually eat it before he went back to staring down at Carl.

**********

Glenn wasn’t sure what to think as he drove the car up to the house, everything looked so peaceful so unharmed, it was a little nerve raking with everything they had seen so far. But Glenn parked the car not too far away from the house, both him and T-dog getting out a gun clutched tight in Glenn’s hand just in case.

Walking up to the house neither really knew what they were supposed to do, they couldn’t see anyone in their sights. “So do we ring the bell?” Glenn asked when they reached the stairs both of them wincing a little as they caught sight of blood. “I mean it looks like people live here.”

“Were past this kind of stuff aren’t we?” T-dog asked as he started to walk up the stairs. “Having to be considerate.” As T-dog finished his sentence the door opened and Maggie walked out.

“Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?” Maggie asked ready to go and do it herself if they hadn’t.

“Uh, hi.” Glenn said a little nervously. “Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything.” Glenn confirmed when she gave him a look. “Hello, nice to see you again. We met briefly before.”

“Look we came to help.” T-dog told her looking dead on his feet. “There anything we can?” He asked before he noticed that Maggie had looked down at the bandage on his arm. “It’s not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though.”

Maggie nodded taking his word for it. “We’ll have a look at it.” She promised as she moved back to open the door. “I’ll tell them you’re here.

Glenn pulled the backpack off his shoulder opening it up as he said, “We have some painkillers and antibiotics.” He pulled out the two bottles they had been able to find knowing it wasn’t much but hoping it would help. “I already gave him some. If Carl needs any.”

“Come Inside.” Maggie moved out the way letting them walk in first “I’ll make you something to eat.” Maggie walked into the house behind them before she led them down the hall and into the room Carl was in.

As they walked in Glenn felt is heart break a little at the scene in front of him, Carl was laying on the bed while Hershel looked over him looking like he could slip away from them at any moment. Glenn looked over beside the bed where Daryl and Rick were sitting both of them looking like they could fall apart at any minute. A shock to both Glenn and T-dog who had only seen Daryl look put together, and he may have only known the three people in this room for a couple weeks but seeing them all like this really broke his heart.

“Um.” Glenn cleared his throat not really sure what he was supposed to say in a situation like this. “We’re here okay.”

“Thank you.” Rick managed a small smile in their direction.

“Whatever you need.” T-dog agreed.

Hershel looked up from where he had been examining Carl and over to the boy’s parents. “They don’t get back soon, we’re gonna have a decision to make.”

“And that it?” Rick asked even though he already knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“Weather to operate on your boy without the respirator.” Hershel clarified not looking happy about the development.

“You said that wouldn’t work.” Daryl pointed out as he looked up from where he had been staring down at his lap this whole time.

“I know.” Hershel nodded as he stood up putting his equipment away, “It’s extremely unlikely but we can’t wait much longer.”

“Dad.” Maggie spoke up gaining Hershel’s attention. “If you’ve finished can you have a quick look at his arm.” Maggie pointed over to T-dog who was stood there sweating like hell and cradling his bad arm.

“What is it?” Hershel asked his mind going straight to it being a bit.

“Scratched it on a car.” T-dog told him.

Hershel walked over to T-dog before leading the man to sit down in the closest chair. “Do you have any painkillers?” He asked as he took the tape off. “We don’t have much left and I would prefer to save it for Carl.”

“We only have these.” Glenn said as he held the bottles up.

Hershel looked up from T-dog’s arm at the bottles. “They’re not going to do, we’ll need somthing stronger.”

“You brang my bike?” Daryl asked looking over at them.

“Yeah, it’s outside.” Glenn nodded a little confused.

“Bag of pills in the back.” Daryl told them not moving from his seat. “Got my brothers stash, some kick ass painkillers, Doxycycline.” Glenn nodded getting ready to go and get them when Daryl said. “You do anything to my bike.”

Glenn just nodded as he walked out the room.

**********************************************************************************

Carl groaned as he came to looking around the unfamiliar room until he came across his dad sitting in the chair next to him. “Where are we?”

“Hey little man.” Rick said with a small sad smile on his face as he leant forward to place a hand on Carl’s head. “That’s Hershel, were in his house. You had an accident. All right?”

“It hurts a lot.” Carl admitted the pain clear as day on his face.

“We know.” Daryl nodded from his place next to Rick. “We know.”

“You should have seen it.” Carl told his dad his face lighting up even through the pain.

“What?” Daryl asked confused as to what made his son cheer up so much.

“The deer. It was so pretty, it was so close. I’ve never been.” Carl went silent after that looking up at his parents with lifeless eyes before he started shaking.

“Don’t.” Hershel told them when Daryl went down to grab his son. “It’s a seizure. If you hold him down, you could hurt him.”

“You can’t stop it?” Daryl asked as he stood back.

“He had to just go through it.” Hershel confirmed as all three adults stood back and watched.

Daryl reached his hand out grabbing Rick’s needing the comfort of his husband in this moment, thoughts on that fact that Hershel was still in the room leaving his head as he held back tears.

“His brain isn’t getting enough oxygen.” Hershel told them once the seizure has ended. “His pressure is bottoming. He needs another transfusion.”

“Okay.” Rick nodded. “I’m ready.”

“If I take any more of out of you, your body could shut down.” Hershel told him but Rick paid no attention as he sat back down in his chair ready to do the transfusion. “You could go into a coma, or cardiac arrest.”

“You’re wasting time.”

**********************************************************************************

“You got here right in time.” Patricia said as she looked at T-dogs cut. “This couldn’t go untreated muck longer.” She reached over to the table next to them grabbing the pill bottle and looking down at it. “Merle Dixon, Is that your friend with the antibiotics?”

“No, ma’am.” Glenn shock his head. “Merle’s no longer with us. Daryl gave us those, his brother.”

“Not sure I’d call him a friend.” T-dog said talking about Merle as a memory from on the roof briefly flashed through his mind.

“He is today.” Patricia pointed out as she gave him two of the pills. “The doxycycline might have just saved your life. You know what Merle was taking it for?”

“The clap.” Glenn told her. “That’s what Daryl said.”

“I’d say Merle Dixon’s clap was the best thing to ever happen to you.”

“I’m really trying to not think about that.” T-dog shock his head with a small shudder as Patricia started to stitch his arm back up.  
Glenn walked out of the room unable to watch.

**********

Once they had finished stitching T-dog’s arm Maggie walked outside the house to were Glenn was sitting in on of the chairs bent forward a little, leaning on the side she asked, “Are you praying.”

Glenn jumped a little at her voice. “Why do you sneak up on people so much?”

Maggie shrugged. “You’re easy to sneak up on.”

“I was praying.” Glenn nodded. “At least trying to.”

“You’re religious?” Maggie asked not sure whether she was shocked about that or not. “You pray a lot?”

Glenn shocked his head as he leaned back in the chair to look at Maggie better. “Actually that was my first time.”

“Ever?” Maggie asked a little shocked at that. “Wow. Sorry. I didn’t mean to wreak your first time.”

“God probably got the gist.” Glenn shrugged.

“What were you praying for?” Maggie asked hoping that she hadn’t pushed too far and that he would actually answer her.

“My friends.” Maggie could hear the pain in his voice and knew it must be hard to know that two of your group was hurt. “Looks like they could all use a little help right now.” Glenn looked down a little nervously as he asked, “Do you think god exists?”

“I always took it on faith. Lately I’ve wondered though.” Maggie admitted as she moved a little closer to Glenn. “Everything that’s happened, there must have been a lot of praying going on. It seems quite a few went unanswered.”

“Thanks that’s really helping.” Glenn said sarcastically.

“Sorry.” Maggie apologised as she went to leave. “Go ahead.”

Maggie shock her head knowing that this would be a more private thing. “I’ll get you a refill instead. I know it’s not my business, and feel free to believe in god.” Maggie took Glenn’s mug from him as she continued to talk. “But the thing is you’ve got to make it okay somehow no matter what happens.”

**********************************************************************************

“What happened?” Daryl asked when it was just him and Rick in the room as he realised he hadn’t gotten the full story.

“Before it all happened we were standing there in the woods and this deer just crossed right in front of us.” Rick started as he let out a huge sigh a small smile coming to his face as he remembered how happy Carl was when they first noticed it. “I swear it just planted itself there and looked Carl right in the eye. And I looked at Carl looking at that deer, and that deer looking right back at him. And in that moment just.” Rick sighed again as the rest of what happened rushed back to him and his smile slipped. “Slipped away, it just slipped away. That’s what he was talking about when he woke up, not about getting shot or about what happened in the church. He talked about something beautiful, something living.  
There’s still life out there for us, place maybe, hopefully. Maybe like this. It isn’t all death out there. It can’t be.” Rick had seen how his husband was struggling with what was going on around them, no one else could see it Daryl was good at hiding his feeling like that but Rick could see of course he could. “We just have to be strong enough after everything we’ve seen to still believe that. He talked about that deer, it was the first thing that come to his mind, maybe he can see the light in this. Maybe he’ll be the light in this.”

**********************************************************************************

Hershel moved away from Carl after he had finished another exam as he said. “He’s still losing blood faster than we can replace it. And with the swelling in his abdomen, we can’t wait any longer or he’s just going to slip away.” Rick pushed himself up from his seat. “Now I need to know right now if you want me to do this, because I think your boy it out of time.” When neither of them said anything Hershel said a little more forcefully. “You have to make a choice.”

“A choice.” Daryl repeated looking over at his husband.

“A choice.” Rick repeated with a nod, knowing he wouldn’t be able to make a decision like this, not on his own at least, and he added. “You have to tell me what you want.”

Daryl looked from his husband to his son before looking up at Hershel with the decision. “We do it.”

“Okay.” Hershel nodded before he walked out of the room coming back in less than a minute later with Patria in tow both of them pulling in a table of sorts. “Get the corner of the bed, let’s get the sheets down everybody.” As Hershel said his demands everyone else got to work doing as they were told. “Get the IV bag on the sheet. Okay on three.” Hershel looked up at the other three people and they all nodded. “One, two, three.” On the three they all lifted Carl up placing him on the table. “Rick, Daryl you may want to step out.”

As Hershel finished talking the sound of a truck pulling up could be heard and Rick quickly walked over to the winder looking out to see the truck that Shane and Otis had left in.

With an “Oh god.” Rick walked out of the room Daryl right behind him.  
“You stay with him.” Hershel told Patricia before he followed the men out.

**********

“How many round you got left?” Shane asked as he and Otis ran away the Zombies close behind.

Otis looked down at his gun making sure before he said. “Four, you?”

“Five and one in the pipe.” Shane groaned as the zombies got even closer his bad leg making him slower them normal.

The two of them continued to make their way shooting the zombies closest to them. Both of them struggling with the walk back.

“I’m down to my last.” Otis said looking over at Shane as they both stopped.

“Me too.” Shane nodded as he looked down at his gun knowing what he needed to so he looked back up at the man. “I’m sorry.” Otis looked over at him confused as Shane lifted his gun up pointing it at Otis leg and shooting the man falling to the floor with a noise of pain.

Shane pushed the gun into his trousers before he lent down trying to get the back pack from Otis who was moving around with pain.

The zombies got even closer and Shane fell to the floor still fighting for the bag. Kicking Otis Shane was able to get the bag half way off as Otis continued to shout with pain and fear.

Shane pushed himself up getting the bag the last way off as Otis grabbed his hair, pulling a chuck off.

Shane away from Otis as the man fell back to floor, running away trying not to look back at what he had did as Otis screams of pain got louder when the zombies reached him.

**********

The group walked outside the house just as Shane was getting out of the truck.

“Carl?” Shane asked as he walked up to them handing one of the bags over to Hershel.

“There’s still a chance.” Rick promised him never having been so relieved to see his best friend in the almost forty years they had known each other.

“Otis?” Hershel asked looking up from the bag.

“No.” Shane shock his head not giving anything away about what happened.

Hershel was about to walk away before he told them. “We say nothing to Patricia until after. I need her for this.” Before he walked back into the house bag of medical supplies in hand.

Shane and Rick looked at each other for a moment neither of them sure what to do before Rick pulled his friend in for a hug so thankful for everything he had done for him and his family.

“They kept blocking us at every turn.” Shane started having had more than enough time to come up with a cover story about what happened on the drive back. “We had nothing left. We were down to 10 rounds. Then he said. He said he’s cover me and that I should keep going.” Shane stoped talking for a moment taking a deep breath like he finding it hard to carry on. “SO that’s what I did. I just….. I just kept going. But I… I looked back and he tried.”

Rick looked over at Shane sympathetically as the man cut himself off. “He wanted to make it right.” He reminded Shane.

Daryl stood behind the two of them having listened to Shane’s story and not sure whether he believed his brother-in-law.

**********************************************************************************

“Andrea wait.” Dale said when the women came back to camp later on.

“What do you want Dale?” Andrea asked still mad at him.

“To give you this.” Dale said as he held up her gun. “I care about you so I made a choice for you. Choices.” He corrected himself. “And the choices I made for you were not mine to make. But I can still ask you, and this is not to make you guilty or put me ahead of you, but I can still ask, please….. Don’t make me forget this.”

Andrea took the gun from Dale as she told him. “I’ll take watch.”

“So do you forgive me for?” Dale trailed off a little. “Do you forgive me?”

Andrea looked at the older man with a small nod. “I’m trying.” She promise him before walking off to go stand watch.

**********************************************************************************

“He seems to have stabilized.” Hershel said as he walked into the room where everyone was sitting waiting to hear about Carl.

Rick let out a breath he had been holding since this all started as he looked down at his hand. “Oh god. I don’t have words.” Rick looked back up at the man.

“I don’t either. Wish I did.” Hershel let out a small sigh as he leaned against the wall nearest to him. “How do I tell Patricia about Otis?”

Rick looked over at his husband knowing what he needed to do. “You go sit with Carl. I’ll help Hershel.”

Daryl just nodded at his husband before they both stood up from their chairs Daryl walking into the room as Patricia walked out.

Daryl tried not to listen to the heartbroken cries as he sat next to his son trying to just be relieved that his son was okay.

**********

Shane walked into the room stopping at the door as he looked over to Carl. Thinking that he had walked in unnoticed.

Daryl continued to look down at his son paying no attention to the man standing in the door way, not caring about anything other than the little boy laying in the bed in front of him.

Shane looked over at Carl for a few minutes before he walked out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom.

**********************************************************************************

“We need to leave now.” Lori pointed out the next morning.

“I know.” Carol nodded knowing deep down that they did have to head to the farm but not ready to leave here without Sophia.

“We’ve put up the sign.” Andrea pointed out looking over at the sign with some food and water. “IF she does make it back here we will find her.”

Carol sighed as she looked at the supplies. “Yeah.”

“I know you’re worried about her but were going to come back every day to cheek, were not going to give up until she is back with us.” Lori promised placing a comforting hand on Carol’s shoulder.

Carol just nodded knowing they were right before she walked over to the car silently getting in.

Lori had one last look around the hallway before she headed towards the car getting into the drivers seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted while reading please let me know so that I can fix them.


	4. Cherokee Rose

_**“It’s a long drive.” Rick pointed out as he and Daryl packed their bags.** _

_**“I know.” Daryl nodded as he picked up another one of Carl’s tops.** _

_**“You sure you only want to take the one car?” Rick asked knowing how little his husband and brother-in-law got on.** _

_**“I think I can put up with him for a few days.” Daryl nodded even though he was a little worried that he would ruin their family trip by shouting at his brother-in-law. “And Shane’s not as bad when your sister is around.”** _

_**“Glad to hear that.” Rick said with a small laugh. “Carl is going to love this.”** _

_**“He is.” Daryl agreed as he felt Rick’s arms wrap around his waist.** _

_**“You sure you don’t want us to drive in our own car? Rick asked placing his head on Daryl’s shoulder.** _

_**“It kind of beats the point of having a road trip with them if we drive in our own car.” Daryl pointed out.** _

_**“It does.” Rick nodded.** _

_******************** _

_**“Okay you were right.” Daryl sighed when he and Rick finally got some alone time. “I’m gonna strangle Shane.”** _

_**“No you’re not.” Rick shock his head.** _

_**“How do you know that?” Daryl asked keeping his eyes out the window, watching were Shane and Lori were with Carl in the shop.** _

_**“Because Carl’s having a good time and if you kill Shane he wouldn’t be.” Rick pointed out with a laugh. “And he hasn’t been so bad.”** _

_**“Sure.” Daryl nodded as he noticed the three of them walk towards the till. “How long till were supposed to get there?”** _

_**“Lunch time tomorrow, hopefully.” Rick said after looking over at the map. “Think you can put up with him till then?”** _

_**Daryl just grunted knowing that Shane would probably drive him crazy but that he would also put up with him for Carl and Rick. “I’m gonna have to.”** _

_********************* _

_**“He’s going to be fine.” Rick assured Daryl as his husband paced up and down the doctor’s room, waiting for the doctor to come in and see Carl. “He’s just sick. Kids get sick.”** _

_**“That was not just sick.” Daryl argued back, his worry coming out in anger. “You said It yourself you’ve never seen a kid be that sick.”** _

_**“I also don’t know many kids.” Rick pointed out with a sigh. “Daryl don’t worry until we actually know what’s going on.”** _

_**“I can’t just sit there and wait?” Daryl shock his head continuing his pacing.** _

_**“Just stop the pacing.” Rick told his husband, Daryl’s pacing making him more nervous.** _

_**“So you want me to just sit and wait?” Daryl asked again.** _

_**“Or stand and wait.” Rick shrugged his shoulders as the doctor walked into the room.** _

_********************* _

_**“How is he?” Lori asked as Rick and Daryl walked out of the hospital, Carl sleeping in Rick’s arms.** _

_**“He’s going to be fine.” Rick assured his sister. “Just a bad stomach bug.”** _

_**“Thank god.” Lori smiled at the two fathers. “Shane went out to get everyone food, I’ll tell him to take it back to the hotel.”** _

_**“Yeah that’s probably best.” Rick nodded before the three adults made their way back to the car, Carl staying sound asleep the whole time.** _

_************** _

_**“Were gonna have to head home.” Rick pointed out as the four of them all eat dinner. “Can’t keep going with Carl this sick.”** _

_**“Of course were going back.” Lori shock his head. “Can’t have getting any worse.”** _

_**“You don’t have to come back with us.” Rick pointed out, not wanting to ruin his sister and brother-in-laws holiday. “I know how long you’ve been planning this.”** _

_**“We all drove here together.” Shane pointed out, all of them making sure they don’t let their voices get too loud that it woke a sleeping Carl.** _

_**“And it wouldn’t be the same without out three.” Lori added for her husband. “We can always try this when Carl is a little older.”** _

_**“We can.” Rick agreed with a small nod.** _

_******************** _

_**“Sorry about the trip.” Rick apologised about three weeks after they got back as he and Carl had lunch with his sister.** _

_**“It’s okay.” Lori assured him. “It was fun up until Carl got sick.”** _

_**“It was.” Rick agreed with a nod. “Still feel bad that we ruined your holiday though. You and Shane had been planning it for months.”** _

_**“Doesn’t matter.” Lori assured her brother again. “We still got a few days of not having to go to work. Still go to spend them with my brother and my amazing nephew.”** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Fever’s gone down.” Hershel told Rick and Daryl after he had finished his exam on Carl.

“Buddy.” Daryl said when he noticed his son shifting in the bed.

“Carl.” Rick stood up leaning closer to his son also having noticed his movements.

“Sophia?” Carl finally got out tiredness clear in his voice. “Is she okay?”

“Fine.” Rick lied not wanting his son to have any more to worry about right now. “She’s fine.”

“Okay.” Carl nodded before he let sleep take him again.

Rick sank back into his seat looking over at were his husband was sat clinging to their son’s hand. “He’s okay.”

“I know.” Daryl nodded not taking his eyes away from Carl as they heard the sound of cars pulling into the farm.

“That must be everyone else.” Rick pointed out as he went to stand. “We should probably go see them.”

Daryl just nodded as he reluctantly let go of his son’s hand, the married couple going out to great everyone who were now in the main room of the house.

“How is he?” Dale asked as soon as the two men where in view.

“He’ll pull through.” Daryl told them all.

“Thanks to Hershel and his people.” Rick said with a nod towards the man himself. “And Shane, we would have lost him without Shane.”

“Thank god.” Carol said with the biggest smile she could muster right now. “We were so worried.”

“How’d it happen?” Dale asked, they having been told only what Glenn knew before he and T-dog headed here.”

“Hunting accident.” Rick shock his head still finding it hard to believe that an accident could cause all of this. “That’s all it was….. Just a stupid accident.”

**********************************************************************************

“How long has this girl been missing?” Hershel asked as he Rick, Maggie, Daryl, Shane and Andrea stood outside over the bonnet of one of the cars.

Rick thought back trying to remember how long it had been but struggling with everything that had happened in the short amount of time. “This’ll be day three.”

“County survey map.” Maggie said as she laid the piece of paper on the car. “Shows terrain and elevations.”

“This is perfect.” Rick nodded as he and Shane flattened the map out, holding it down in the corners. “We can finally get this thing organized. We’ll grid the whole area, start searching in teams.”

Hershel shock his head at Rick as he told him, “Not you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn’t be hiking five miles in this heat before passing out.” Hershel turned to look at Shane. “And your ankle, push it now you’ll be laid up a month, no good to anybody.”

“Guess it’s just me.” Daryl spoke up shocking everyone who had assumed he was going to stay here for Carl. “I’m gonna head to the creek work my way from there. I can still be useful.”

“I’ll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wondered back.” Shane offered.

“All right, then.” Rick nodded at all of them happy with what they had been able to come up with, “We’ll start doing this right.”

“That means we can’t have out people out there with just knives.” Shane looked over at his best friend having had enough time to think about this after everything that had happened. Need the gun training we’ve been promising them.”

“I’d prefer you not to carry guns on my property.” Hershel spoke up. “We’ve managed so far without turning this into an armed camp.”

“All due respect.” Shane started turning his attention away from Rick and over to the older man. “You get a crowd of those things wondering in here.”

“Look were guests here.” Rick interrupted not wanting to do anything that will make Hershel kick them out, not while Carl was still healing and Sophia was missing. “This is your property. And we will respect that.” Rick promised Hershel. “Set camp, find Sophia.”

“I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody’s got to. What happens if we find her and she’s bit? I think we need to be clear on how we handle that.” Shane said having lost hope that Sophia was still out there alive and sure that when they did find her it would either be her body or as a walker.

“You do what has to be done.” Rick told them all because no matter how much he wanted to bring Sophia back to her mum, as a walker the little girl would just be a danger to all of them.

“And her mother? What do we tell her?” Maggie asked.

“The truth.” Andrea shrugged, if they did find Sophia as a zombie the only thing they could tell Carol was the truth.

“I’ll gather and secure all weapons. Make sure no one’s carrying till we’re at a practicing range of site.” Shane offered because no matter how much he wanted everyone able to be armed he didn’t want that to happen until they knew the basic’s about a gun. “I do request one rifleman on lookout though. Dales got experience.”

“Our people would feel safer.” Rick told an unsure looking Hershel. “Less inclined to carry a gun.”

Hershel thought about it for a second before nodding over at the two men. “Thank you.”

“The stuff you brought.” Maggie spoke up. “Have you got anymore, antibiotics, bandages, anything like that?”

“You’ve seen all we got.” Andrea shock her head.

“Were running shot already.” Maggie pointed out looking over at her father. “I should make a run into town.”

“Not the place Shane went?” Rick asked not wanting anyone else to put their lives at risk.

“No.” Maggie shock her head. “Theresa pharmacy just a mile down the road. I’ve done it before.”

“See our man in a baseball cap?” Rick asked as he pointed over to were the man himself was standing by the RV. “That’s Glenn, our go to town expert. I’d ask him along just to be cautious.”

**********

Shane walked over to his wife the two of them not having had a chance to talk since their fight.

“I heard Carl’s awake.” Shane started trying to break the ice.

“He did.” Lori nodded having headed in to see her nephew earlier that morning while everyone was outside trying to decide what to about finding Sophia. “He’s in and out, but looks like he’ll be just fine.”

“Do you want be to stay?” Shane asked sounding more vulnerable then Lori had heard in a long time. “You told me I would be leaving you behind but you never said if you wanted me to stay.”

“Of course I want you stay.” Lori said shocked that her own husband could think otherwise.

“All right then.” Shane nodded, once Carl had been shot Shane knew there wasn’t much that could convince him to leave, but if he was going to stay he was going to make sure his wife wanted him to.

**********

“Daryl?” Rick asked once the two of them were alone in Carl’s room. “Okay going out on your own?”  
“I’m better on my own and I’m only going for a few hours.” Daryl assured Rick. “There’s not much I can do for him right now but I can look for her.”

“I didn’t say anything.” Rick pointed out, already having known that Daryl would be going out to look for Sophia. “I’ll be here with him.”

“A few hours.” Daryl repeated needing that to be clear. “But I do want to out tonight if we don’t find her.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Rick asked not liking the sound of his husband wondering around the forest in the dark.

“I won’t go far.” Daryl promised. “We’ll talk about it later though. Could still find her.” Daryl leant down laying a tender kiss on his son’s forehead.

“Be careful.” Rick told his husband as goodbye when Daryl pulled away from their son and made his way towards the door. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

**********

“I hear you’re fast on your feet and know how to get in and out.” Maggie said as she walked up to Glenn who was standing on his own not too far from the RV. “Got a pharmacy run. You in?”

“Uhh.” Glenn started not sure what to say to her but before he had the chance to come up with something was interrupted by Dale. “Miss, what’s the water situation here?”

“Got five wells on out land. House draws directly from number one.” Maggie pointed out into the field not too far away from where they were. “Number two well is right over there. We use it for the cattle but it’s just a pure. Take what you need. There’s a cart and containers in the generator shed behind the house.” Maggie turned back to Glenn. “I’ll go saddle the horse then.”

“Horse?” Glenn asked nervously as Maggie walked away.

Andrea walked over to were Shane was standing next to one of the cars. “Give up our guns?” She asked him clearly not happy with the choice.

“You heard Rick.” Shane nodded. “Were guests here?”

“And you’re okay with that?” Andrea asked believing she already knew what his answer was.

“I don’t recall being asked.” Shane pointed out. “Now lay down your weapon.”

“You may like rolling over but I don’t.” Andrea told him as she was about to walk away.

“Look I have to stipe them clean anyway. You still want to learn?” Shane asked making Andrea stop for a moment. Andrea nodded.

**********

“We could give you more space.” Rick suggested to Hershel. “Set up over by the barn.”

“No, no need for that.” Hershel shock his head not wanting any of them near the barn. “Better you stay close to the house. I don’t say this easily Rick. We don’t normally take in strangers. I can’t have your people thinking this is permanent. Once your find this girl and your boy’s fit for travel, I expect you’ll move on.” Hershel told Rick only shocking the man a little. “We need to be clear on that.” Hershel walked away not wanting to give Rick the chance to argue with him.

“Hi, here’s your list.” Lori said as she walked up to Glenn handing him a piece of paper. “And um, there’s one other item. I wrote it down separately. It’s personal. If we could be real discreet about that okay?”

“Sure.” Glenn nodded more than happy to get it.

“Thank you.” Lori nodded at him about to walk away when Glenn asked. “Um, what is it?” Lori looked at him for a moment before pointing out. “Kind of missing the whole discreet thing, Glenn.”

“I know.” Glenn nodded quickly. “I just need to know where to find it.”

Lori thought for a moment about a way to help Glenn without anyone else finding out what it was. “Try the feminine hygiene section.”

“Enough said. Consider it done.” Lori smiled gratefully at the other man before she turned around and walked away.

*********

“The interstate where you broke down is here.” Hershel said as he pointed to the highway on the map. “There’s your creek. My farm is here. We’re looking out that way. South, southeast.”

“We missed this branch of the creek.” Rick pointed out on the map. “Is she went in that direction, she’s be miles from where we looked.”

“Rick take a moment.” Hershel told the younger man as he turned to face him. “Come look.” Hershel said pointing to the clearing in front of him. “That’s something isn’t it?” Hershel asked as Rick moved over to were the older man was standing. “It’s good to pause for an occasionally reminder.”

“Of what?” Rick asked not seeing much left to remember about.

“Whatever come to mind? For me it’s often god. No thought on that?”

“Last time I asked god for a favour and stopped to admire a view my son got shot.” Rick pointed out. “I try not to mix it up with the almighty anymore.”

“Lori told me your story, how you got shot, the coma. Yet you came out of it somehow. You did not feel god’s hand in yours.” Hershel asked looking away from the view ahead of him and over to the other man.

“At that moment.” Rick shock his head. “No I did not.”

“In all the chaos you found your husband, your boy.” Hershel pointed out. “Then he was shot and he survived. That tells you nothing?”

“It tells me that god’s got a strange sense of humour.”

**********************************************************************************

Daryl walked out between two trees looking ahead of him as he came into a small clearing, a farm house sitting in the middle.

Taking his crossbow of his back and loading an arrow Daryl slowly made his way towards the house.  
As he got closer he sped up a little kicking the door open his cross bow held up in case anything was waiting for him inside.  
The house was a mess as Daryl made his way through it, obviously having been looted at some point in the last few months before it was left abandoned.

Daryl tried not to let his nervous creep up as he made his way into what looked like the kitchen. Cheeking every corner before he spotted a can of mostly eaten food, a tin that didn’t look like it had been opened all that long ago.  
Daryl looked down at the contents before a slightly agar door caught his eyes and he raised his cross bow back up, walking slowly and quietly towards it.

He opened the door quickly lowering his bow when he noticed it was empty, a few cans and bottles left on the shelves but other than that empty.  
Daryl looked a little further down spotting what looked like a homemade bed, one that would only be big enough to fit a child.

“Sophia!” Daryl shouted as he walked out of the house, hoping that the bed was for the little girl and that she hadn’t been able to make it too far.

Daryl paced up and down in front of the house for a few minutes shouting “Sophia!” Before something caught his attention out the corner of his eye and he made his way towards it. Plucking on of the two flowers when he got there.

**********************************************************************************

Carlos got out of the car as soon as Shane had stopped it on the highway making her way straight over to the pile of food they left, hoping for any signs of her daughter.

“Well come again tomorrow.” Andrea said as she walked up to the older women, all the food still on the hood of the car and no sigh of the little girl. “You know there’s always the chance…..”

“Don’t.” Carol cut the other women off, fed up of everyone’s fake optimiseom “I really don’t need to hear it anymore, Andrea. Save the thoughts and prayers.”

“You never know, Carol.” Shane said before the women walked past him and back to the car. Shane shared a look with Andrea neither knowing what to do, before they followed Carol back to the car.

********************

“We can hang targets along that fence line there.” Shane said as he pointed to the fence. “That rise, it gives a natural backstop. It’s a good idea.”

“So how long till I can carry?” Andrea asked really not having time to be patient right now.

Shane chuckled as he turned around to look at her. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“I’m not in a very patient state of mind these day, Shane.” Andrea pointed out. “You might have noticed.”

“No shit.” Shane replied, pretty sure by that point the whole camp were aware of how little patients Andrea had. “Look, I ain’t worried about you offing yourself, even though you got old Dale pissing his pants lately.” Shane couldn’t help but laugh at his own words before he continued talking. “Yeah I noticed that too.”

Andrea gave the older man a look before she finally said. “He did go within about a minute or so of being blown to because of me, to be fair.”

“Look, I see you have the desire for gun work and desire will take you a long way.” Shane agreed trying to see things from her pointed of view and hoping that would help her understand things from his own. “But something you need to know, so file this carefully.”

“I’m listening.” Andrea told him when Shane stopped talking.

“Paper targets are one thing. Easy to hit what ain’t moving.” Shane said as he started to walk again, not wanting to lose Carol who had carried on when they stopped. “But taking down an assailant, one that’s trying to kill you, that’s different. They say in that kind of situation things slow down, that’s crap. They speed up. Adrenalin. It’ll cripple you if you let it. You need to use your instinct. You got to rule it out. Because somebody is going to die and you’d better hope that you’re the one who’s making that decision.”

“How? I mean how do you do that?”

Shane looked behind him for a minute as he said. “Turn off a switch. The switch. The one that makes you scared or angry, sympathetic, whatever. You don’t think.” Shane turned back so that he was looking in front of him, spotting Carlos listening not too far ahead. “You just…. You just act. ‘Cause odds are somebody is counting on you. That’s your partner, that’s your friend. There ain’t nothing easy about taking a man’s life no matter how little value it may have. But when you get it done, you have to forget it.” Shane chuckled. “I guess I haven’t quite got that last part down yet.”

“But you’re getting there?” Andrea asked.

“I hope so.” Shane nodded.

**********************************************************************************

Glenn looked around him, trying to get used to riding the horse as he said to Maggie. “You know, normally this is the kind of things I’d do on my own. Solo.” Glenn chuckled trying to lighten the slightly tense mood between the two of them. “It’s sort of my thing, you know? I’m a loner.”

Maggie ignore what Glenn said as she pulled her horse to a stop in front of the drug store, getting herself down. “I’ll go see what antibiotics are left.” Glenn got down from his own horse as Maggie tied their rains to a post and the two of them walked into the store. “What else is on the list?”

“Uh, why don’t you get started?” Glenn asked trying to work out the best way to find what he was after without Maggie seeing him.

“What about you?” Maggie asked as she started to walk towards the back.

“I’m gonna look around, see what’s worth grabbing.” Glenn told her with a shrug. “Just some general stuff.”

Glenn grabbed a few random things, that looked like they could come in useful before walked over to the feminine hygiene section and hoping that had what he needed.

Glenn found the box that Lori had asked for and as he looked down at what it was he tried not to let his noise of surprise out.

“What do you got?” Maggie asked as she walked up to Glenn, making the man jump and shove the box into his bag grabbing the box closest to him.

“Uh…. Ummm.” Glenn said as he stood up. “Nothing. Just like I said, general stuff.” Glenn showed Maggie the box.

“Condoms?” Maggie asked once she was able to get a proper look at it. Glenn looked down at what was in his hands trying not to let his shock show. “You got a girlfriend in don’t know about?”

“Me?” Glenn asked shocked as he shook his head. “No. no.”

“Then you’re a pretty confident guy.”

“No. no, no, no.” Glenn shock his head as he tried to defend himself. “I, I, I, I wasn’t…. I would never.”

“Something wrong with me?” Maggie asked, now just teasing him.

“No, no.” Glenn chuckle nervously “I would never have sex….. I’m lost.” Glenn finally landed on, not sure what else to say.

“I’ll have sex with you.” Maggie nodded.

“Really?” Glenn asked shocked that after that she would even look at him in that way. “Why?”

“You’re asking questions?” Maggie asked as she placed the pills that were in her hand into the bag across her shoulder.

“Okay. I can’t help wondering.”

“It’s not like our options are vast these days, and you’re not the only one that’s lonely.” Maggie dropped the bag from her shoulder walking closer to Glenn.

“Wow.” Glenn nodded before Maggie reached him leaning in for a slightly nervous kiss.

**********************************************************************************

Rick looked over at the small camp set up, his group all sitting around, as he and Hershel walked back to the house. “You need to reconsider.” He finally told the older man.

“I beg your pardon?” Hershel asked.

“Asking us to leave.” Rick clarified. “You need to reconsider. If you saw how it was out there you wouldn’t ask. You’re a man of belief. If you believe anything, believe that.”

“You’re putting me on the spot.” Hershel pointed out as the two of them stopped at the bottom of the stairs, leading up to his house.

“Well I mean, too.” Rick said knowing exactly what he was doing and hoping it would help things go his way. “Those people look to me for answers. I wish they didn’t, but they do. But I’m not asking for them or myself. I’m asking for my boy. After the price your friend Otis paid. The least you can do it give it some thought.”

“You’re a plainspoken man.”

“I’m a father. He’s the one thing I don’t want to fail. I feel like I do every day though.” Rick shock his head. “I lied to him this morning. It wasn’t a bit lie, but it was enough.”

“My father didn’t bother with comforting lies. He used his fists. He was a loveless, violent drunk and no good to anybody. He drove me from here when I was 15. Didn’t lay eyes on this place for many years. I was not at his deathbed Rick. I would not grant him that and to this day I do not regret it. Some men do not earn the love of their sons. I don’t see you having that problem.” Hershel had seen everything Rick was willing to do for his son, he had seen the was Rick cared about that boy, and he knew what he was saying was the truth.

“Will you consider my request?” Rick asked as he started to walk up the stairs, keeping his eyes on the older man.

“There are aspects of this, thing I can’t and won’t discuss. But if you and you people respect my rules, no promises, but I will consider. You have my word.” Hershel promised with a nod.

“You have mine too.” Rick agreed before he turned around walking into the house and over to were his son was. “Hey I’ll sit with him.” Rick told his sister, thankful that she had sat with Carl so that he could talk with Hershel.

“He was awake earlier.” Lori told Rick as she stood up, giving him her chair. “He asked for you.”

**********************************************************************************

Daryl walked into the RV, a little shocked when he saw how clean it was.

“I clean up.” Carol said having noticed the look on Daryl’s face. “I wanted it to be nice for her.”

“For a second I thought I was in the wrong place.” Daryl said as Carol caught sight of the flower in his hand.

“A flower?”

“It’s a Cherokee rose.” Daryl started to explain as he handed it to Carol. “The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the trail of tears Cherokee mother were grieving and crying so much ‘cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation. A lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer, asked for a sign to uplift the mothers spirit, give them strength and hope. The next day a rose started to grow right were the mothers tears fell.  
I’m not fool enough to think there’s any flowers for my brother, but I believe this one bloomed for your little girl.” Daryl chuckled a little as he got ready to leave. “She’s really gonna like it in here.”

*******************

“Hey dad.” Carl said sleepily as he opened his eyes.

“Hey.” Rick said as he cleared his throat knowing there was something he needed to say “Carl I told you somthing earlier today about Sophia…..”

“I know.” Carl nodded. “Papa told me.”

“Here I was getting ready to confess.” Rick laughed a little, not having known Daryl was back yet. “I didn’t mean to lie. I just didn’t want to worry you. It’s a stupid excuse, I know. But it’s all I got.”

“It’s okay.” Carl shock his head, not really having the energy to be mad at anyone right now. “Do you think we’ll find her?”

“I know we will. Well…” Rick shock his head with a sigh. “I don’t know, if we will. But I truly belive it.”

“You look tired.” Carl told his dad.

“I am tired.” Rick nodded, thinking the last time he had been this tried would had been after Carl was born.

“Hey, I’m like you now.” Carl pointed out as a smile grew on his face. “We’ve both been shot, isn’t it weird.”

“I think your pap would rather hear we got the same eyes, not that we’ve both been shot. So let’s just keep that between us.” Rick told Carl who just nodded, knowing his dad was right. “Since you’re in the club now. You get to wear the hat.” Rick pulled his hat off his head, knowing how much Carl loved wearing it not that long ago. “Didn’t you know? We’ll pad the rim tomorrow so it sits better.” Rick told him when he placed it on Carls head and it slid forward.”

“Won’t you miss it?”

“Maybe you’ll have to let me borrow it from time to time.” Rick suggested.

“We can share it.” Carl agreed.

“Okay.” Rick nodded a small smile on his own face. “Sleep now.”

“I love you dad.” Carl said as he let his eyes close.

********************

“He okay?” Daryl asked as he walked into the room.

“Yeah.” Rick nodded as his husband walked over to sit in the chair next to him. “He was awake for a bit, not that long ago.”

“You hat.” Daryl pointed out with a small smile.

“I thought I should finally let him have it.” Rick nodded. “It’s not like I need it anymore. You told him about Sophia.”

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded as he leaned forward a little. “When I got back he was awake, asking about her. Couldn’t lie.”

“I was going to tell him when I got back, you beat me too it.” Rick turned to look at his husband properly noticing the tired look on his face. “Any luck.”

“Found a place she might have stayed at, other than that nothing.” Daryl shock his head with a sigh. “Go back out later.”

“You sure it’s a good idea to go out at night?” Rick asked nervous about everything that could happen to Daryl out there.

“I know what I’m doing.” Daryl promised. “Been out in the woods at night many times.”

“Not with walkers everywhere.” Rick pointed out.

“I can’t just sit here and do noting.” Daryl told Rick. “Can’t let her stay out there for too long on her own.”

“I know.” Rick nodded understanding exactly were his husband was coming from. “Just be careful.”

Daryl just nodded before the two of them descended into silence.

**********************************************************************************

“Everything go okay?” Hershel asked as Maggie and Glenn got back.

“Fine.” Maggie nodded as she got off her horse. “Nothing happened.”

As Maggie walked off with her father, Lori walked over to Glenn pulling him off to the side. “Did you find it?”

Glenn nodded as he pointed to his bag. “In here.”

“Thanks.” Lori smiled at the other man, thankful for what he did.

*********************************************************************************

“I’m going for a walk.” Daryl told Dale who was looking down at his from his place on top of the RV. “Shine some light in the forest. If she’s out there, give her something to look at.”

“You thinks that’s a good idea?” Dale asked not liking the idea of one of his people out there in the dark.

“Gotta find her somehow.” Daryl pointed out as he went to start walking away.

“I’m coming too.” Andrea said as she walked up him.

Daryl just shrugged not really wanting Andrea out there with him but having learnt in the time he knew her that he wasn’t going to be able to convince her to stay very easily, and in that moment Daryl didn’t really feel up to arguing with anyone, so he just carried on walking knowing that Andrea would follow.

“You really think we’re gonna find Sophia?” Andrea asked as they walked out of the clearing and into the edge of the Forest.

Daryl looked back at her with a huff. “You got that look on your face same as everybody else.” Daryl turned his attention back ahead of him. “What the hell’s wrong with you people?”

“Well do you?” Andrea asked as she made more noise than Daryl felt comfortable with.

“It ain’t the mountains in Tibet.” Daryl pointed out starting to get really annoyed. “It’s Georgia. She could be holed up in a farmhouse somewhere. People get lost and they survive. It happens all the time.”

“She’s only twelve.” Andrea pointed out thinking it made all the difference.

“Hell, I was younger than her and I got lost.” Daryl listed his hands up as he stopped to look at her. “Nine days in the woods eating berried, wiping my ass with poison oak.”

“They found you?” Andrea asked in shocked.

“My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was doing anything stint in juvie. Didn’t even know I was gone.” Daryl corrected her as he tried not to think back too much to his childhood. “I made my back though. Went straight to the kitchen made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear. Except my ass itched something awful.” Daryl added trying to add light to one of his best childhood stories.

Andrea laughed before she brought her hand up to her mouth trying to make herself stop. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, this is a terrible story.” Daryl nodded before he let himself laugh a little along with her.

“Only difference.” Daryl started once they had both stopped laughing. “Is Sophia’s got people looking for her. I call that an advantage.”

********************

“What the hell.” Daryl said as he heard a noise, looking up in the direction it came in and seeing a body hanging from the branch of a tree. “Got bite, fever hit, world gone to shit. Might as well quite.” Daryl read off from the note attached to the man’s foot. “Dumbass didn’t know enough to shot himself in the head. Turned himself into a bit swinging piece of bail.” Daryl turned around to face Andrea when he heard her make a small groaning sound. “You all right?”

“Trying not to puke.” She admitted.

“Go ahead if you gotta.” Daryl told her.

“No, I’m fine.” Andrea shock her head trying to wish the sick feeling away. “Let’s talk about something else for a minute. How’d you learn how to shot?”

“Gotta eat.” Daryl said with a shrug, there not being all that much of a story behind his ability with a cross bow. “That’s one thing these walkers and us have in common. I guess it’s the closest he’s been to food since he turned. Look at him hanging there like a big piñata. The other geeks came and ate all the flesh of his legs.” Daryl said after he had gotten a better look at the man.

Andrea leaned over, the small dinner she has that night coming back up “I thought we were changing the subject.” Andrea pointed out once she had finished.

“Call that payback for laughing about my itching ass.” Daryl told her as he turned away. “Let’s head back.”

“Aren’t you gonna?” Andrea asked pointing to the walker.

“No.” Daryl shock his head. “He ain’t hurting nobody. Ain’t gonna waist an arrow either. He made his choice. Opted out. Let him hang.” Daryl told her as he walked away.

**********************************************************************************

“Still awake?” Daryl said in shock as he walked into the room he and Rick had been given.

Rick just looked over at his husband not sure what there was to say.

Daryl walked over looking into the draw that was open before Rick. “You putting them away?”

Rick just nodded as Daryl moved to stand behind him, for the first time getting a proper look at Rick’s scar in the mirror.

Rick leaned into his husbands touch and Daryl reached up to run a hand over Rick’s scar. Rick pushed the draw shut slowly, looking down at the badge that he had worked so hard to get, that not too long ago meant so much, Daryl’s comforting touch helping his say good bye to that part of his life.

Daryl placed a kiss on the side of Rick’s neck before he pulled away. “I’m gonna sit with him for a bit.”

Rick just nodded as he watched his husband walk out of the room, before turning back to the mirror and looking down at his own scare.

**********************************************************************************

Lori looked down at the stick in her hands, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth as a sob escaped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some that you spotted while reading please let me know in the comments so that I can fix them.


	5. Chupacabra

_**“I’m hungry.” Carl said as he looked up at his dad.** _

_**“I know.” Daryl nodded as he placed a hand on his son’s head. “I know, we all are. Do we have any food left?” Daryl asked as he looked round at his sister-in-law.** _

_**Lori looked into the back of the car before turning back to her family. “No we don’t.”** _

_**“Fuck.” Daryl swore under his breath no clue what they were going to do now.** _

_**“Why don’t I get him something to eat?” Carol offered a sweet smile on her face. “Ed’s into all the survival stuff. We’ve got enough M.R.E’s to feed a smile army.”** _

_**“I’d sure be appreciated.” Daryl nodded with is sister-in-law, more than happy to do anything to help his son.** _

_**“No trouble.” Carol smiled at them as she walked past Ed towards the front of the car.** _

_**“What the hell did you tell her that for?” Ed asked her angrily. “We don’t even know these dame people.”** _

_**“That boy is hungry.” Carol pointed out. “We can spare one box.”** _

_**“It’s called operational security. How long do you think this stuff is gonna last if you keep running your damn mouth off to everyone we meet?” Ed told her his voice not as quite as he thought.** _

_**“I’m sorry.” Carol stood back from the car. “I wasn’t thinking.”** _

_**Daryl looked over to were his brother-in-law was still trying to get a signal. “You got anything?”** _

_**“There’s nothing.” Shane shock his head turning back round to face his family.** _

_**“Big surprise there.” Lori commented.** _

_**“No, I mean there’s nothing. Emergency broadcast system stopped and that recording about the refugee centre. It’s all gone. I’m gonna go up the road, see what I can see.” Shane told the two adults.** _

_**“I’ll go with you.” Lori said as she pushed herself away from the car and followed her husband off up the road.** _

_**“Ed must have forgot to pack those M.R.E.s.” Carol told Daryl as she came back from round the side of the car, feeling horrible for what she was doing. “But I found these in my bags.” Carol handed a handful of sweets over to Daryl who took them.** _

_**“It’s okay.” Daryl assured her having overheard her conversation with Ed and knowing it wasn’t her fault. “These are good.” Daryl handed over a couple of the sweets to Carl knowing it was better than his son having nothing to eat.** _

_**Carl smiled gratefully over at Carol as he popped one of the sweets into his mouth then went back to playing the board game with Sophia.** _

_**Daryl looked over to were his brother was asleep in the back of the car, more than a little grateful that Merle wasn’t out here right now.** _

_**“Why would they stop broadcasting about the refugee centre?” Lori asked Shane as the two of them walked through the cars, trying to get a better look at what was happening ahead.** _

_**“I don’t know.” Shane said truthfully with a small shrug.** _

_**“Think there turning people away?” Lori asked him nervously, not sure what would happen to them if they were turned away.** _

_**“They’re gonna have a riot on their hands if they try.” Shane pointed out as the pair of them looked ahead just in time to see planes fly by, all of them dropping somthing before multiple explosions went off and the city went up in flames.** _

_**Lori and Shane quickly turned back round, running back to their car, as Merle got out of the back having been woken up by the noise and Carl ran over to his dad, Daryl quickly pulling the obviously scared boy into his arms.** _

_**“What the fuck are we going to do?” Daryl asked his in-laws when they reached the car.** _

_**“Were gonna do what Rick would do.” Shane told them. “Were gonna find somewhere safe.”** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Morning.” Dale said as Lori walked out of her tent.

“Good morning.” Lori said back, filled with dread from what she found out the night before.. “I can’t believe I slept in.”

“You must have needed it.” Carol told her as she continued to hang out clothes. “Feeling alright?”

“Next time wake me okay.” Lori told the older women. “Especially on laundry day.”

“I can manage.” Carol assured her, more then used to having to do all the washing on her own. “I had an idea I wanted to run by you.”

“What’s that?”

Carol hung up the piece of clothes in her hand before turning back to look at Lori. “That big kitchen of theirs got me thinking. I wouldn’t mind cooking in a real kitchen again. Maybe we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight. Kind of looking for things to keep me occupied.” Carol admitted.

“After everything they’ve done for us, seems the least we can do.” Lori agreed with a small nod.

“You mind extending the invitation?” Carol asked not really feeling liking going round and talking to everyone right now.

“Sure.” Lori nodded more than happy to do it.

*******************

“Morning guys.” Rick said as everyone gathered around the car. “Let’s get going. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. All right.” Rick pointed down to the map in front of him. “Everyone’s getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl found, she might have gone further east then we’ve gone so far.”

Shane rolled his eyes as he got into the car not believing that there was much of a chance of them finding Sophia anymore, and that everyone was just being led on some wild goose chase that would just end with them losing someone else.

“I’d like to help.” Jimmy said a little nervously as he walked up to them. “I know the area pretty well and stuff.”

“Hershel okay with this?” Rick asked.

“Yeah, yeah. He said I should ask you.” Jimmy told him.

“All right then.” Rick nodded more than happy for the extra help. “Thanks.”

“Nothing about what Daryl found screams Sophia.” Shane said as he got back out of the car, no longer able to keep his mouth shut. “Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse.”

“Anyone includes Sophia.” Andrea pointed out.

“Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay’high.” Daryl told them holding his hand up just higher than his waist.

“It’s a good lead.” Andrea agreed with him, this being the closets they’ve had to finding her so far.

“Maybe we’ll pick her lead.” Rick was trying not to let himself hope too much that they would find her, knowing it would be that much harder if they weren’t.

“No maybe about it.” Daryl shock his head, for the first time since Rick got shot, letting himself hope that something good was going to happen. “I’m gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here.” Daryl pointed down to where he was heading on the map. “Take a birds-eye view of the whole grid. If she’s up there I’ll spot her.”

“Good idea. Maybe you’ll see your chupacabra up there too.” T-dog joked with a smirk in Daryl’s direction.

“Chupacabra.” Rick said looking over at his husband, shocked that he had told anyone that story.

“You never heard this.” Dale said looking over at Jimmy. “Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us the whole thing reminds him a time he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra.” At first Jimmy tries to hold in his laugh, before he sees a few of the group laughing and he can’t hold it in anymore.

“What are you braying at, Jackass?” Daryl asked the kid.

“You believe in a blood-sucking dog?” Jimmy asked.

“Do you believe in dead people walking around?” Daryl shot back.

“Hey, hey.” Rick said not wanting this to escalate any more. “You ever shot one before?” Rick asked Jimmy holding up a gun to him.

Jimmy shock his head before saying. “Well, if I’m going out, I want one.”

“Yeah, and people in hell want Slurpee’s.” The last thing Daryl wanted right now was for someone who didn’t know how to use a gun to have one, not after what happened with Carl.”

“Why don’t you come down and train tomorrow.” Shane suggested felling the exact same way as Daryl. “If you’re serious, I’m a certified instructor.”

“For now he can come with us.” Andrea suggested.

“He’s yours to babysit.” Shane told her not wanting to have anyone else to worry about.

“All right, Andre, T-dog……..”

**********************************************************************************

“You remember the name of that waitress at the Dairy Queen when we were in high school?” Rick asked as he and Shane walked round the edge of the forest, Rick wanting to help look for Sophia but not feeling quite up to going too far away from the farm and defiantly not on his own. “I know you, Shane, well enough to know that there is only one sure-fire way of engaging you in a conversation, and that is to start asking you about a girl you dated in high school.” Rick pointed out when Shane gave him a wired loo. “I don’t want to, but I’m willing to do it is that’s what it takes.”

"Maryanne, I told you about her?” Shane asked in shock

“In excruciating detail.” Rick confirmed.

“Excruciating, my ass. You used to live for those details back in the day.” Shane pointed out, making sure he kept his eye out for any walker.

“I was impressionable.” Rick defended making Shane laugh. “And I may have been living vicariously through you. At least until I met Daryl.”

“Why wouldn’t you, with my impressive life of accomplishment? I was an artist in my prime. A protégé.” Shane boosted.

“You mean prodigy.” Rick corrected with a small laugh.

“Maybe.” Shane nodded as they both stopped for a second. “Is prodigy what you called a young high school stud that bangs a 30 year old, on the regular?”

“What 30 year old were you banging in high school?” Rick asked looking back at his friend in disbelief.

“The P.E. teacher.” Shane said proudly.

“Mr Daniels?” Rick asked not remembering them having any other P.E. teacher.

“Mrs. Kelly.” Shane corrected with a smirk.

“The girls’ volleyball coach?” Rick asked needing to make sure. “Wasn’t she married?” He asked when Shane nodded. “C’mon.”

“You know what I just remembered?” Shane asked turning the subject away from his own love life. “Why did I never ask you about this stuff? Why font we talk about your high school love life then, huh?”

“Because I didn’t have one.” Rick pointed out. “At least not one worth talking about.”

Shane looked at his friend for a second trying to think back to high school. “There was Holly right? Nope that was me too.” Shane corrected with a laugh. “Then there was Sheila. That’s the one you lied to me about.”

“I never lied about Sheila.” Rick corrected. “I just got mixed up about what the bases meant.”

“Just so you know, a home run, that usually means a sexual act.” Shane told him making Rick laugh.

“Yeah, I realise that now.”

“Shouldn’t be talking about this stuff anyway.” Shane shock his head as he stared walking again. “For starters were both married now and that life, it’s gone and everyone in it. Sheila, Maryanne, Mrs Kelly. It’s like were old folk. All the people in our stories are dead.”

“We can’t just forget them.” Rick pointed out.

“The hell we can’t. It’s hard enough accepting what’s happened without digging up the past. I’ll tell what it is. Its nostalgia, it’s like a drug. Keeps you from seeing things the way they are. That’s a danger. You got people depending on you.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Rick asked a little offended that Shane felt the need to point that out again.

“I don’t know. What are we doing?” Shane asked turning round to look at Rick. “You got everybody at your disposal out scourging the woods for a little girl we both know it likely dead.”

“You think we should abandon the search?” Rick asked.

“It’s not my call is it?”

“I’m asking, aren’t I?” Rick asked.

“Survival, Rick. It means making the hard decisions. Nut you’ve got this knack. You spread us thinner and thinner. I’m trying to save lives here and you’re out saving cats from trees.”

“Is that what you think Sophia is? A cat in a tree?” Rick asked in disbelief.

Shane shock his head “Don’t do that man. Don’t twist my words. How many times we get called up to look for a missing child?” Shane asked thinking back to before all this, to when they were cops in a small town. “You got 72 hours. 72 hours and after that you’re looking for a body. And that was before. I mean you honestly think we’re gonna find her alive?”

“Are you sure we won’t?” Rick shot back.

“We being honest?”

“I’m counting on it.”

“It’s math man. Love or not Sophia. She only matters, to a degree in which she don’t drag the rest of us down.” Shane said making Rick’s look of disbelief and shock grow. “I thought you wanted honest. If we’d just moved on man, we’d be half way to Fort Benning right now and Carl wouldn’t have gotten shot.”

“Don’t.” Rick shouted over at Shane, not able to take what Shane was saying anymore. “Don’t. You have no clue what it’s like to have a kid. That fear you feel when you don’t know if there okay. Carol is living with that fear all the time. And there is a little girl out here somewhere, dead or alive that deserves to be brought back to her mum. I’m not just gonna right a little girl off, act like she’s dead when we just don’t know.”

“Were out here risking our lives.” Shane pointed out not ready to let this go yet. “Your own son almost died. Otis paid the price for that. What the hell are we still doing this for?”

“I know my son almost died Shane.” Rick shock his head finding it hard to believe that the nice conversation they were just having had somehow turned into this. “I know how Carol feels right now. And I know there is a little girl out here in the woods somewhere and I know were going to find her. I’m not just gonna leaver her here. And I can’t believe you think I would.” Rick looked at Shane one last time before walking a head of his brother-in-law finished with that conversation.

**********************************************************************************

Daryl looked around him, from atop the horse it was easy to see his surroundings the trees making everything harder even from higher up.  
Daryl took his crossbow off his back, shooting an arrow into the woods, hitting a squirrel and pinning it too a tree, knowing it would be needed back at camp, Daryl moved closer to the tree pulling the squirrel and his arrow off before he carried on keeping an eye out for any signs of the little girl.

Which came not that long later when Daryl reached the edge of a quarry looking down something caught his eye.  
Getting down from his to take a closer look, Daryl tied the rope to a tree, making his way down the side of the quarry Daryl finally got a better look at what the object was and he picked up the pace, when he got their reaching down into the water to pick up a dole. A dole that Daryl remember the little girl wouldn’t let go off.

“Sophia!” Daryl knew it was probably a bad idea to be shouting in the middle of a forest, that walkers would be able to see him and some may even reach him, but in that moment he didn’t care finding Sophia before something else did was all that he cared about.

Daryl shouted for the girl a few more times before he realised that while she had been here at some point she no longer was.  
So Daryl made his way back up the side of the quarry and back to his horse, a plan to search up and down the edge, hope that she hadn’t gotten too far.

Daryl made his way about half way along the quarry before his horse spotted sight of a snake and before he knew it Daryl was being thrown from the back of the horse, sent rolling down the side.  
Losing grip of his crossbow, it went down ahead of him. Daryl landed on top of it.

“Son of a bitch.” Daryl said as loudly as he could looking down at his side, trying to work out were the searing pain was coming from.  
When he looked down Daryl was shocked to see one of his own arrow sticking out the top, obviously having fallen on it on his trip down.

And as Daryl laid there in pain water turning red around him, he tried not to let himself panic knowing that he was the only one who could save himself right now.

**********************************************************************************

Glenn looked over at Lori, the events of the day before playing over in his mind before he finally worked up the courage standing up and walking over to the older women.

“Mind your business Glenn.” Lori told him when she heard the man walk up behind her.

“You’re pregnant.” Glenn said as quietly as he could.

Lori turned around to face his. “You can’t tell anyone.” Lori pleaded.

Glenn looked over Lori’s shoulder to were Shane and Rick were walking back to camp. “You haven’t told him yet?”

“No I haven’t.” Lori said before she went back to doing her work, clearly signalling that she didn’t want to talk about this anymore.

Glenn looked at Lori for a minuet trying to decide whether he wanted to say before he decided that saying it was probably the wrong thing and he walked away, back to the work he was supposed to be doing.

As Rick walked back into camp he handed his gun to Shane without a word before walking over to his sister, hoping that she would be able to get through to Shane.

“Something wrong?” Lori asked noticing both the look on her husbands and her brother’s face and knowing that it meant the two of them have had a fight.

“I just had a long talk with Shane.” Rick sighed as he leaned against the car next to him, tired from the long walk. “He wasn’t to call of the search.”

“What do you think?” Lori asked not sure if she agreed with Shane or not.

“I know that if Carl was out there I wouldn’t want to stop until I found him.” Rick started hoping with her past that Lori would understand. “I would want to know one way or another if he was I alive. I would need to know. Shane thinks that while my intentions are good I’m making us weaker, that I can’t make the hard decisions to keep the group safe.”

“There all hard decisions.” Lori pointed out with a sigh. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Mr Grimes.” Beth said a little nervously as she walked up to the pair. “My dad wants to talk to you.”

**********************************************************************************

When Daryl was finally able to get enough strength he pulled himself up and towards the edge of the lake, a hand on his side trying to stop the bleeding and keep the arrow as still as possible.

When he reached the edge of the water Daryl ripped the sleeves of his shirt off, tying them together before pulling them around his waist and tying them with shaking hands just above the arrow, trying to help stop the blood flow.

Daryl looked up the cliff side realising that he had fallen further then he thought. He pushed himself up, keeping a hand on his side pain shooting up with every movement he made. He stumbled over to some sticks, grabbing the biggest one with the hope of using it to help him climb back up. Daryl stopped what he was doing stick in hand when he heard the rustling of leaves on the other side of him, reaching towards his back with the intent of grabbing his crossbow for the first time realising it wasn’t there.

Daryl made his way as quickly as he could into the water using the stick to search round for his crossbow.

Once he had found it Daryl made his way back over to the side of the cliff, looking up with dread as he got ready to make the climb that he knew was going to be tough and painful.

**********************************************************************************

“One of my horses are missing.” Hershel said as Rick walked up to him. “Did one of your people take it?”

“I was given the impression that you knew about it.” Rick said, not actually all the surprised that Daryl had taken the horse without asking. Not with how determined his husband was to find Sophia.

“I did not.” Hershel shock his head, his voice showing just how un happy he was about all of this.

“I’ll talk to Daryl.” Rick promised him.

“And Jimmy? You took him out today.” Hershel pointed out. “Did he also give you the impression of consent?”

“No, he outright said it.” Rick corrected the older man. “I took the boy for his word. He seemed truthful to me.”

“Jimmy is 17.” Hershel remained Rick. “He may not be my kin but I am responsible for him. These things need to be cleared with me.”

“They will be, but right now it sounds like we need to work on our communication. What do you suggest?”

“Keep it simple.” Hershel was as he was about to walk past the other man. “I’ll control my people, you control yours.” With that Hershel walked away leaving Rick standing there on his own.

**********************************************************************************

Daryl grunted in pain as he pulled himself up the side, looking down to see how far he had gotten. “Oh, come on. You’ve half way done. Stop being suck a pussy.” Daryl told himself trying to push the pain down as much as he can. Daryl pulled himself up struggling as he lost his footing, falling back down, the pain getting even worse each time he hit the floor. The world going black as he hit the bottom.

**********************************************************************************

“We need to talk about Rick.” Lori said as she walked up to her husband.

“What about him now?” Shane asked as he turned away from where he was sorting out their guns to look at his wife.

“Rick said that you want to give up looking for Sophia.” Lori informed him as she sat down on the bench opposite him. “Said there was some argument in the woods.”

“What do you want me to say?” Shane asked with a small huff, fed up of people looking at him like that when he was just trying to protect them all. “Were putting ourselves at risk to find a body Lori. That girl is dead and were looking for her body.”

“We don’t know she’s dead.” Lori pointed out.

“She’s been gone for too long, there is no chance she’s still alive out there.” Shane didn’t understand why people couldn’t see things from his side, how no one could see that this was a lost cause.

“What if it was Daniel?” Lori asked making her husband go still. “What if he was out there?”

“Daniel is dead.” Shane got out between gritted teeth.

“I know he is.” Lori almost shouted at him, this topic always bringing out the worst in both of them. “But I also remember when we lost him how much it helped to see his body, how much it helped me get to terms with it.”

“This is not like our son.” Shane told her as he pushed himself up from the table. “This is nothing like our son.”

Lori sighed as she watched her husband walk off, not all that surprised that the conversation had gone that bad.

**********************************************************************************

Daryl came to with a pounding in his head, the pain in his side a hundred times worse and the world blurry around him.

“Why don’t you pull that arrow out, dummy?” Merle asked as Daryl’s vision slowly came back. “You can bind your wound better.”

“Merle?” Daryl asked looking at his brother in shock and confusion.

“What’s going on here? You taking a siesta or something?” Merle asked as Daryl let his eyes slid close again.

“Having a shitting day, bro.” Daryl mumbled as he was finally able to get his eyes open again.

“Like me to get you a pillow?” Merle asked sarcastically. “Maybe rub your feet?”

“Screw you.” Daryl told him.

“Huh-uh. You’re the one screwed from the looks of it.” Merle pointed down to where his brother was slumped down, blood pouring from the wound on his side and the cut on his forehead. “All the years I spent trying to make you a man, this is what I get? Look at you. Lying in the dirt like used rubber.” As Merle continued talking Daryl spotted how his brother had both his hands, the confusion in his head growing. “You’re gonna die out here little brother. And for what?”

Daryl looked at his brother as he tried to wrap his head around whatever the hell was happening. “A girl. Lost a little girl.”

“So you got a thing for little girls now?” Merle asked mockingly.

“Screw you.” With every word his brother said Daryl was getting more and more confused, the brother standing in front of him more like the one he knew ten years ago not the one he knew when everything happened.

“’cause I noticed you ain’t out looking for old Merle no more.”

“Tried like hell to find you bro.” Daryl assured him his eyes getting heavier with every word.

“Like hell you did.” Merle argued as Daryl lost the battle and his eyes closed again. “You split man. Lit out the first chance you got.”

“You lit out.” Daryl argued back trying to get his eyes to open again. “All you had to do was wait. We went back for you. Rick and I, we did right by you.”

“The same Rick that cuffed his own brother-in-law to a rooftop. Forced me to cut my own hand off?” Merle asked a sneer in his voice. “His bitch now?”

“I ain’t nobody’s bitch.” Daryl shot back, remembering the first time he had conversation like this with his brother back when Merle first found out about Daryl’s relationship to Rick.

“You’re a joke is what you are.” Merle told him as he pushed himself up. “Come on, get up on your feet before I have to kick your teeth in. let’s go.” Daryl let his eyes close again trying to push away the feeling of Merle pulling on his leg, before he realised that the feeling wasn’t someone pulling on his leg and Daryl open his eyes as quickly as he could to see a Walker trying to bite its way through his boot.

Daryl used all the strength he could muster to kick the walker away, trying to push himself over to where he could see his crossbow lying in the dirt.  
Not able to get there before the walker got to him, Daryl used the closest biggest rock he could find to hit the walker in the side getting the upper hand over the thing and pinning it to the floor. Using a stick that was close by to cave the walkers head in killing is, as he spotted one walking closer to him Daryl tried not to let the panic that was filling him get the best of him as he rolled off the walker to his crossbow, pulling the arrow out of his side with a shout of pain.  
Daryl grabbed his crossbow using what little strength he had left to load the bow and shot the walker just as the thing reached him. Daryl feel to the floor letting himself have a second to catch his breath before pushing himself back up into a sitting position.

**********************************************************************************

“Have you seen Daryl?” Rick asked as he walked up to Carol, knowing that his husband had gone to see her the last time he came back, to give the older woman an update.

“No I haven’t.” Carol shock her head turning around to face him. “Not since he left.”

“Okay.” Rick nodded trying to convince himself that Daryl was perfectly fine, having just lost track of time.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Carol told him.

“Okay. What about?” Rick asked her with a nod.

“I’ve already talked to Lori about this and she agreed but I wanted to let you know.” Carol told Rick wanting to make it clear that this was something that was going to happen. “Some of us were going to use that nice kitchen of theirs to cook Hershel and his family a nice meal, to say thank you for eventing they’ve done so far for us.”

“That’s a great idea.” Rick smiled as his conversation with Hershel came back to him. “Just make sure you get their permission first.”

“I will.” Carol nodded.

**********************************************************************************

Daryl pulled the rest of his jacket off, folding it into a ruff square and placing it over his wound. Pulling the part of his top that was already tied around his waist up and tying it back up, as tight as he could get it hoping it would be enough to stop the bleeding.

“Son of a bitch was right.” Daryl muttered as he grabbed his crossbow using it to help push himself up.

Daryl walked over to sit on a log, taking the squirrel he had caught earlier and placing it on the log, he used his knife to cut open its stomach, reaching in and pulling some of the meet out Daryl brought it too his mouth knowing he could use whatever bit of extra energy he could get if he wanted any chance to make it back to everyone. To Rick and Carl.

Daryl finished the rest of the squirrel before walking over and grabbing Sophia’s toy, placing it safely back in his belt. He then walked over to the walkers he has killed, cutting their ears off. Daryl used a shoelace from his boots to create a necklace out of the ears, hoping it would make the walkers stay away from him.

Daryl looked back up the side of the cliff mentally preparing himself to make the climb up again.

Daryl made his way almost the whole way up the side before he saw his brother again. “What’s the matter Darylina? That all you got in you? Throw the purse and climb.”

“I liked it better when you were missing.” Daryl commented as he made it up another small part of the side.

Merle laughed down at his brother before saying. “Come on, don’t be like that. I’m on your side.”

“Yeah? Since when?” Daryl asked struggling to think of a time when his brother was just on his side, not because it could help Merle himself.

“Hell, since the day you were born, baby brother.” Merle shot back, and Daryl knew to a certain point that his brother was telling the truth, hell Merle wasn’t actually here right now this was all in his own damn head. “Somebody had to look after your worthless ass.”

“You never took care of me.” Daryl shock back. “You talk a big game but you was never there.” While Daryl knew that when he was younger Merle was there, was in his life, all Daryl could remember was the times he really needed his brother and his brother wasn’t there. “Hell, you ain’t now. Guess some things never change.”

“Well tell you what, I’m as real as your chupacabra.”

“I know what I saw.” Daryl shot back as he struggled to make it the last bit up.

“And I’m sure them shrooms you ate had nothing to do with it right?”

“You’d best shut the hell up.” Daryl told his brother not all that shocked that Merle didn’t listen to him, even in his own head.

“Or what?” Merle aske mockingly. “You’re gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? Well come on and do it then, if you think your man enough. Hey, kick of those damn high heels and climb son.” Merle laugh as Daryl finally got his footing and started pulling himself up. “You know what? If I were you I’d take a pause for cause, brother. ‘Cause I don’t think you’re gonna make it to the top.” With every word his brother said Daryl made it closer and closer to the top. “Come on. Come on, little brother.”

With a finally groan Daryl made it to the top relived to see his brother gone.

**********************************************************************************

“Oh, yeah. I never thought I’d be so happy to see a potato.” Hershel head as he walked down the hall and into the dining room. “I’m just so glad were not roasting squirrels over a fire in the woods” Hershel looked past the door to see Carol, Lori, Maggie and Patricia all making their way around the kitchen. “Thank you, Patricia, so muck for letting us unto you house.”

Hershel turned round to look at his daughter and asked. “What’s this?”

“Lori and Carol are cooking dinner for us tonight.” Maggie told her father.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.” Hershel commented, fed up of things happening around here that he didn’t know about.”

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal.” Maggie told him with a shrug. “They want to thank us for helping them.”

“We need to be setting clear boundaries with these people. They’re getting a little too comfortable.”

“It’s just dinner.” Maggie pointed out not really getting were her father was coming from.

“What’s going on with you and the Asian boy?” Hershel didn’t like how close it looked like her daughter was getting with one of them.

“Glenn.” Maggie said a little shocked that her dad would even bring him up. “Were just friends.”

“I’d rather he wasn’t. Bad enough I have to chase Beth and Jimmy around.” While Hershel liked the boy, saw him as family now, he didn’t want Beth and Jimmy taking things too far.

“Well, you don’t have to chase me around. I’m not 16.” Maggie pointed out.

“I know you’re not.” Hershel nodded. “That’s why I’m counting on you to be the mature one. You know how I feel. Please don’t make things harder than they used to be.”

“I’m a little old to be having this conversation.”

“Don’t get close to them.” Hershel told, having no plan to let the group stay longer then they have to. “They’re not going to be here forever.”

******************

“Walker, walker!” Andrea shouted from where she was sitting on top the RV.

“Just the one?” Rick asked not able to get a good enough look.

“I bet I can nail it from here.” Andrea told them, looking through the scope of her gun.

“No, no, Andrea.” Rick told her knowing one how Hershel felt about them using guns and two that the sound of a bullet would just bring more of the things here. “Put the gun down.”

“You’d best let us handle this.” Shane told her, actually agreeing with Rick.

Shane and T-dog walked past Rick, both of them a weapon in hand. “Shane hold up, Hershel wants to deal with the walkers.”

“What for man? We got it covered.” Shane assured Rick as they carried on walking.

Rick ran into the RV grabbing an axe before running after the other three.

“Is that Daryl?” Glenn asked when they reached the man, Shane’s gun pointed towards his head.

“That’s the third time you pointed that gun at my head.” Daryl told Shane, making Rick sigh in refile at the knowledge that his husband wasn’t a walker. “You gonna pull the trigger or what?”

Shane lowered his gun, as Rick started to walk towards his husband.  
Before Rick could get their they heard a shot go off and Rick watched in shock and terror as his husband fell to the floor.

“No.” Rick shouted as he ran over to Daryl. “No!” Rick leant down next to his husband, letting out a tiny sigh of relief when he saw Daryl still moving and that the bullet had only grazed the side of his head.

Shane and Rick both helped the other man to his feet, Daryl passing out almost straight away, as Andrea and Dale ran down to them.

“Oh, my god is he dead?” Andrea asked when they got close enough to see how it was.

“Just passed out.” Rick shock his head, relief and worry clear to everyone in his voice. “You just grazed him.”

“But look at him.” Glenn said pointed over to the state Daryl was in. “What the hell happened. He’s wearing ears.”

Rick looked down at his husband chest, using his free hand to pull the sting off and stuff the ears into his pockets. “Let’s keep that to ourselves.” Rick told them hating to think what Hershel would say if he found out.

T-dog leant down picking the toy that had fallen out of Daryl pocket. “Guys, isn’t this Sophia’s?” Everyone looked back at T-dog fear written across all of their faces.

**********************************************************************************

“I found it washed up on the creek bed right there.” Daryl said looking down at the map in front of him, trying not to show how much his side still hurt. “She must have dropped it crossing somewhere.”

“Cuts the grid in half.” Rick said looking quickly over at Shane. “How’s he looking?” Rick asked as he turned back round to look at Hershel.

“I had no idea we’d be going through the antibiotics so quickly.” Hershel commented ignoring what Rick had just asked. “Any idea what happened to my horse?”

“Yeah, the on that almost killed me?” Daryl asked his pain coming out as anger. “If it’s smart it left the country.”

“We call that one Nelly, as in nervous Nelly.” Hershel told Daryl as he finished stitching the man up. “I could have told you she’s throw you if you’d bothered to ask. It’s a wonder you people have survived this long.”

“How is he?” Rick asked Hershel again, trying not to get annoyed from his question being ignore the last time.

“I hate to say it.” Shane interrupted before Hershel got the chance to say anything. “But I’m with Hershel on this one. Can’t keep going out there. Not after this.”

“You’d quite now?” Rick turned round to look at Shane again, who had walked closer to the bed, still annoyed about the conversation they had earlier that day. “Daryl just risked his life to bring back the first bit of hard evidence we had.”

“That’s one way to look at it.” Shane nodded. “The way I see it Daryl almost died today for a doll.”

“Yeah I know how you see it.” Daryl tried to keep his head still as the two of them argued, the headache that had slowly been building since he woke up only getting worse.

“I’m not out to be a hard case, just being realistic.” Shane huffed fed up of having his conversation, he took one last look at his friend before leaving the room.

“How is he?” Rick turned back to look at Hershel.

“He should be fine.” Hershel nodded before grabbing his stuff and walking out of the room.

Rick looked from where the older man had been standing and down at his husband with a sigh as he let himself fall back into his seat. “How are you?” He asked hoping that Daryl would be truthful and not try and hide his pain from them.

“Fucking fantastic.” Daryl huffed as he brought his hand up to cover his eyes. “How do you think I am?”

“You need to be more careful.” Rick commented as he reached over to take Daryl’s hand in his, thankful to finally be alone.

“The horse threw me off.” Daryl pointed out. “Not much can do about that.”

Rick sighed knowing that Daryl was right.

“How’s Carl?” Daryl asked as he opened his eyes enough to look at Rick.

“He’s fine.” Rick nodded, having been in with his son not long before Daryl came back. “Resting but okay.”

“Good.” Daryl said with a nod before letting his eyes close again. “I’m not going to stop looking for her.”

“I know.” Rick sighed wishing that Daryl would just stay here where Rick knew he was safe but also knowing there was no way that would happen. “You can’t go out till you better though.”

“Wouldn’t be no good out there right now.” Daryl agreed.

**********************************************************************************

“He’s just got to start making the tough calls.” Shane ranted as he and Lori stood in the hall outside Carl’s room. “You know I’m right.

“I don’t agree with all my brother’s choices, but I respect him. I know your way isn’t harder.” Lori sighed as he played with the rage in her hand. “It’s the easiest thing in the world to cut our losses and to not help. You keep telling yourself you’re making the though calls you really just trying…..”

“The only thing I care about.” Shane said cutting his wife off. “Right now if you and Carl. So I apologize if I appear to be insensitive to the needs of the others, but you see I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the two of you safe.”

Lori walked over to her husband placing a hand on his shoulder. “Even abandoning a lost child? Really?”

“Yeah” Shane nodded.

“Our nephew and I cannot be your excuse anymore.”

*******************

“How’s he doing?” Andrea asked Dale as the older man walked out of the house after checking on the injured member of their group.

“He’ll be fine.” Dale assured her with a smile that he hoped with comforting. “What about you?”

“I shot Daryl.” Andrea pointed out as the two of them started walking back over to their little camp.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Dale told her. “We’ve all wanted to shot Daryl at some point.”

******************

“How are you feeling?” Carol asked as she walked into Daryl’s room a plate of food in her hand.

“As good as I look.” Daryl told her.

Carlos walked over sitting in the chair next to his bed. “I brought you come dinner.” Carol placed the plate on the bed side table deciding it would be better to just let Daryl do what he wanted with it. “You must be starving.” Carol looked down at the younger man before she reached over to kiss him lightly on the head, Daryl reluctantly let him.

“Watch out, I got stiches.” Daryl told her.

“You need to know something.” Carol told him as she stood back up. “What you did for my little girl today, it’s more than her own daddy ever did in his whole life.

“I didn’t do anything Rick or Shane wouldn’t have done.” Daryl pointed out knowing that his husband would have done everything he had if not more.

“I know.” Carol nodded as she walked back over to the door. “You’re every bit as good as them. Every bit.”

**********************************************************************************

Maggie made her way as quickly as she could up to the top of the barn, reaching the top just as Glenn tried to run out. “You weren’t supposed to see that.” Maggie told him as the sound of walkers got louder around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The flashback from the last chapter was from before the walker outbreak and I was wondering if anyone wanted to see more of that kind of flashbacks throughout this story, or for me to even write a story or one-shot set before.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some that you spotted please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.


	6. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to be at home for the next few weeks so I won't have the chance to update for about two maybe three weeks, I will update as soon as can though and after that, I will be going back to posting one chapter every Wednesday. 
> 
> I have also worked out that the story is going to be about 14 or 15 chapters long. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

_**“What happened to Dad?” Carl asked as he looked up at his dad.** _

_**Daryl sighed as he moved a little in his seat so that he could face his son. “He got shot.”** _

_**“I know that papa.” Carl pointed out trying to make his voice sound more light hearted but failing. “But were leaving so something must have happened.”** _

_**Daryl sighed again having hoped he could have waited for them to get somewhere safe before he was forced to tell his son this. “Your dad….. Dad….. They did everything they could for your dad but they couldn’t help him.”** _

_**“Is dad dead?” Carl asked as tears started to fill his eyes.** _

_**“Yeah dad’s dead.” Daryl nodded for the first time saying the words out loud, tears coming to his own eyes as the realisation hit him that his husband was dead.** _

_**Carl nodded as he looked up at Daryl, trying to keep the tears in but quickly giving up as he moved closer to his dad, Daryl quickly pulling him in for a tight hug.** _

_***************************************** _

_**Daryl looked over at were his son was sleeping in the back of the car, wishing they could go back to a time when Carl looked this peaceful all the time. Wanting to go back to the time were Rick would have been the one sitting next to him trying to make some funny joke, that was only ever funny because not even a single bit of the joke was funny. Daryl wanted to go back to that time more than anything.** _

_**“Daryl?” Lori said softly as she opened the passenger side door as quietly as she could. “He still asleep.”** _

_**“Yeah.” Daryl nodded as he pried his eyes away from his son and over to his sister-in-law.** _

_**“People are making their way down to this little quarry, Shane thinks we should go. Keep in a big group and everything.” Lori explained as she moved down to sit in the passenger seat.** _

_**“Yeah that’s probably a good idea.” Daryl nodded looking over the window to see Shane waiting to get in. “Not like there’s anywhere else for us to go.” With that Daryl pushed himself out of his seat and out of the car, carefully sitting in the back of the car and bringing Carl’s head up so that it rested on his lap.** _

_**As Merle got in the other side of the car and Shane started to drive them down to the quarry Daryl couldn’t help but look down at his son again, wondering what the hell he was supposed to do now.** _   
_**He loved Carl, he always had. More than anything in the world and he tried more than he ever had to be the best father he possibly could, but there was a few parts of being a parent that Rick was so much better at. And right now Daryl knew that was the bits Carl needed right now. He needed the dad who could help him with his emotions, something Daryl had always struggled with. Daryl had no clue how to be there for his son right now, he had no idea how to be there for himself right now.** _

_**Rick was his support, his Anker. The person who helped him when he couldn’t help himself. Rick was the person Daryl never thought he would meet. The person he had always assumed he would never find, but now that he had Daryl didn’t know how he was supposed to live without Rick. He didn’t know how he was supposed to do all this when the love of his life was dead.** _

_**But as Daryl looked down at his son he knew he would do whatever he could to make sure that Carl didn’t lose another parent, that Carl always had someone to rely on, someone that was always going to be there for him. And Daryl was going to make damn sure that he was there for his son for as long as he possibly could be.** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Can I please leave this room?” Carl asked his dad’s a couple days later, fed up of looking at the same four walls and the same furniture every day.

“How’s your stomach?” Rick asked knowing his son wasn’t a very good liar.

“It’s fine.” Carl promised them trying to give Rick and Daryl his best puppy dog eyes in the hope it would help them see past his lie and let him go out.

“You know if you said it was better we might have believed you.” Daryl told his son with a small smile, hand clutched to his side were it still hurt. “You got shot that’s not gonna stop hurting in a couple days.”

Carl looked between the two of them neither looking like they were going to give at time soon. “Can we at least ask Hershel?”

“We can ask him.” Rick agreed. “Don’t know what he’s going to say though.”

“Were alike now.” Carl told his dad’s with a hesitant smile.

“How so?” Daryl asked his son with a small smile, one that most people wouldn’t pick up on but his family saw straight away.

“We’ve all been shot.” Carl pointed out with only a little bit of hesitation.

Rick looked down at his son with a small laugh. “I thought we were keeping that between us.”

“That was when it was only the two of us.” Carl pointed out. “Now papa’s been shot.”

“I was grazed.” Daryl corrected his son.

“And us all being shot isn’t a good thing.” Rick reminded his son, not wanting to ever fell the fear he felt when he saw both his husband and son be shot within only a few days. “Now how about I go ask Hershel weather you’re allowed outside or not.”

Carl nodded happily as Rick pushed himself up from his chair and walked out the room before turning round to face Daryl more series. “Papa, are you okay?”

“I’m fine buddy.” Daryl promised his son as he reached his hand out to rest of his sons head. “As I said it was just a graze.”

******************

“Happy to be out?” Lori asked as she walked up to her nephew.

“Yeah.” Carl nodded as he turned round to look at her happily. “There was nothing to do in there.”

“So now you’re out here helping with the chickens.” Lori pointed out with a small smile of her own.

“It’s something to do.” Carl pointed out as he went back to feeding the chickens in front of him. “And it’s fun.”

Lori grabbed another one of the buckets off the floor and started feeding the chickens with her nephew. “How’s your dad?” Lori asked not having gotten the chance to cheek in on Daryl yet that day.

“He’s okay.” Carl nodded although he sound slightly unsure. “Says his fine. Looks worried all the time though.”

“It’s his job.” Lori pointed out.

“It’s annoying.” Carl corrected making his aunt laugh.

“Yeah it might be but that’s not going to stop him from worrying.”

**********************************************************************************

“Could you be more obvious?” Maggie asked as she walked up to Glenn a plate of food in her hand.

“You trying to bribe me into saying silent?” Glenn asked as Maggie handed him the plate. “With fruit?”

“Of course not.” Maggie shock her head. “There’s jerky too.”

“If you want me to keep quit the least you can do is tell me why your dad keeps a barn full of zombies.” Glenn pointed out the guilt from keeping this a secret from the rest of the group eating him up inside. “It’s creepy.”

“Shhh.” Maggie said as she sat down next to Glenn who was talking too loudly for her own liking.

“You know that right?” Glenn asked her the image of all those zombies not that far away still freaking him out.

“Just trust me on this one please?” Maggie asked him not wanting to go into what her dad was doing.

“I would like too, but I suck at lying.” Glenn told her. “I can’t even play poker. It’s too much like lying.”

“You have to keep this to yourself. You have to. Please.” Maggie begged, not wanting to find out what Glenn’s people would do if they did find out, before she walked away from Glenn hoping what she said had been enough to convince him.

Glenn watched Maggie leave before he brought his binoculars up looking over at the Barn sighing when he couldn’t see anything of us.

“Dale,” Glenn asked looking over at the other man as he walked towards the RV. “Here’s some peaches for you.”

“mm. Thanks.” Dale said happily as he took the bowl from Glenn.

“Morning.” Glenn said over at Andrea as she walked out of the RV, Andrea saying, “Morning.” Back.

“Sup.” T-dog said as Glenn reached the bowl over to him so that he could grab on of the peaches.

“Nothing, nothing’s up.” Glenn let out nervously. “Why?” Glenn walked away before he could day anything else leaving a confused Dale and T-dog.

******************

“Hey.” Andrea said as she walked into the room Carl had been staying in and over to where Daryl was resting on the bed, handing him over a book. “The books not that great, but...”

Daryl took the book from her opening it and flipping through the pages. “What not pictures?” He joked trying to lighten the mood.

Andrea laughed a little before getting series. “I’m so sorry. I feel like shit.”

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded in agreement. “You and me both.” Daryl had been hiding how bad he really felt from his son but now that Carl was gone Daryl winced as he moved his side a little too much, the wound were his arrow had gone through still really sore.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me, but if there’s anything I can do…” Andrea told him, no clue how you were supposed to make up for shooting someone in the head.

Daryl shrugged as he said, “You were trying to protect the group. Were good. But shot me again and you’d best pray I’m dead.” Daryl warned only half-jokingly.

******************

Glenn walked up to Lori nervously trying to work out the best way to say what he wanted.

“Talk Glenn.” Lori told him having heard the younger man walk up to her.

“What did Shane say?” Glenn asked as quietly as he could, walking round so what he was standing in front of Lori, his plate off food in hand. “You didn’t tell him?” Glenn half asked shocked. “Okay, but you have too. You’re pregnant. You need vitamins, medicine, a nice pillow. Here. Take mine.” Glenn tried to hand Lori his plate off food not sure what else there was for him to do right now.

“Honey, I don’t need your food, okay.” Lori told him sweetly. “Eat it yourself.”

“You need to eat.” Glenn pointed out, not giving up quite yet. “You’re too skinny. And if you’re not going to let Shane take care of you, then someone had to. I’ll make another run to town. Just tell me what you need.” Glenn told her willing to get whatever Lori needed if it helped her and the baby.

“I need you to be quite about this.” Lori told her not having wrapped her head around what had happened and defiantly not ready to talk about it yet. “All right? Please.” Glenn reluctantly nodded his head before walking away knowing he wouldn’t be able to help someone who doesn’t want any help.

******************

“The creek flows south.” Rick pointed out as they all looked down at the map sitting on the hood of the car. “Past the farmhouse Daryl found. Maybe Sophia dropped the doll there, the current brought it down.”

“So what you think she took this road here?” Shane asked pointed along the map as he went. “And then she went north?”

“Yeah. What’s up that way?” Rick looked over at Jimmy.

“A housing development.” Jimmy said after a moment of thought staring down at the map. “It went in maybe ten years ago.”

Rick nodded a plan already formed in his head. “Take a run up there after gun practise.” Rick started as he turned back to look at Shane. “I’ll hold fort the fort here, but take backup. After what went down with Daryl, I don’t want anyone going out alone. We stay in pairs.”

“I’ll take suggestions in a partner.” Shane said not sure if he trusted anyone enough right now.

“See how they do on the range. Then take your pick.” Rick told him.

Beth and Patria slowly walked up to the group both of them looking a little nervous as Beth said. “We’d like to join you for gun training today.”

Rick looked at the teenager with a sigh. “Hershel’s been very clear, I can’t involve any of you in what we do without his okay.”

“Otis was the one who knew guns. Now that’s he’s gone, we gotta learn to protect ourselves. Her father saw the sense in that.” Patricia assured Rick.

“NO offence, but I’ll ask Hershel myself.” Rick told them not wanting a repeat of the last time he took one of them on their words. Shane took another look at where Carl was standing over by the RV before he walked over to his nephew.

“Dude, nice lid man. What’s going on?”

“I want to learn to shoot too. Can you teach me?” Carl asked his uncle making the older man chuckle.

“Well, man that’s up to your dad’s.” Shane pointed out not wanting to imagine what Daryl would do if he taught Carl how to shoot without his permission.

“They let me at the quarry.” Carl pointed out a pout on his face. “But they won’t let me now. Can you talk to them? They’ll listen to you.”

Shane chuckled again thinking the last thing Rick would right now was listen to him as he said. “Well see okay?” Carl nodded happy with Shane’s answer as he want to leave, Shane noticing something hiding under his shirt and saying. “Hey. Let me see what you’ve got there.”

Carl looked at his uncle unsure what he should do before pulling his shirt up and showing the gun he had tried to hide.  
Shane shock his head with a huff before walking over to his nephew.

***************

“How the hell did this happen?” Daryl asked as he looked down at the gun in his hands.

“Well, it’s my fault.” Dale spoke up. “I let him into the RV. He said he wanted a walkie, that you sent him for one.”

“He’s fucking lying now.” Daryl shock his head, the pain in both his head and side making this a lot harder to deal with. “What the hell was he thinking?”

“He wants to learn how to shoot.” Shane informed them. “HE asked me to teach him. Now it’s none of my business but I’m happy to. It’s your call.” No matter how much Shane thought both Daryl and Rick would shot down his offer, especially right now, he had promised Carl that he would ask them and he was going too.

“No.” Daryl shock his head not feeling comfortable with his son who had just gotten shot to be anywhere near a gun right now let alone holding it. “Rick?” Daryl looked over at his husband knowing straight away that Rick didn’t see it the way he did. “Don’t make me the unreasonable one.”

“I have my concerns too.” Rick promised. “But….”

“There’s not but.” Daryl cut his husband off. “He’s been out of that bed for a few hours and you want him to use a fucking gun?”

“Better then him being afraid of ‘em.” Rick pointed out with a sigh. “There are guns in the camp for reason. He should learn how to handle them safely.”

“I know that.” Daryl nodded trying to calm down, hoping it would help the pounding in his head. “But I don’t want my kid walking around with a gun when he’s still recovering from a gunshot.”

“I won’t play with it.” Carl promised speaking up for the first time. “I’m sorry I lied papa but I want to go out looking for Sophia and I want to help you defend the camp. I can’t do it without a gun.”

“Shane’s the best instructor we know.” Rick pointed out. “I’ve seen him teach kids younger then Carl.”

“And he can learn.” Daryl nodded. “In a couple days when he’s healed a bit more, for now you watch and you listen.” Daryl compromised knowing that Rick was right and that the only chance Carl would have to survive right now would be if he knew how to protect himself.

“You go and you listen to everything Shane tells you okay.” Rick told his son. “If you don’t he’ll tell us.”

“Okay, dad.” Carl nodded happily before he followed Shane over to the car.

“You okay?” Rick asked turning to his husband as Dale also walked away, not having had the chance to talk to Daryl alone that morning.

“Fine.” Daryl nodded even though Rick could clearly see that he was lying.

“No you’re not.” Rick shock his head not willing to listen to Daryl’s lies, especially not when it came to his health. “What still hurts?”

“Fucking everything.” Daryl grunted as he let himself sit down on the bench behind him. “I better not find him walking round with a gun again.”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t have one when he comes back.” Rick promised as he sat down next to Daryl. “You should get some rest.”

“No time for that.” Daryl shock his head. “We need to find that little girl.”

“And people are out looking.” Rick promised. “But for now you are not any help out there. The best thing you can do for Sophia is stay here for a few more days, make sure you’re actually better before you go out looking for her.”

Daryl made a small noise of acknowledgment knowing that his husband was right. “Go with them.” Daryl told him. Rick looked at his husband one last time before he pushed himself up from the bench and over to the cars they were taking to the shooting range.

*****************

“You coming?” Shane asked Glenn as he and Carl walked towards the car.

Glenn shock his head knowing that he couldn’t spend hours out there with Shane and not let slip either of the secrets he was hiding. “I gotta help Dale clean the spark plugs in the RV. He said he’s gonna teach him. I should probably go find him.”

“You found him.” Dale said as he walked up behind Glenn making the younger man jump.

Shane just nodded before he got into the car starting it and driving off. “Spark plugs huh?” Dale asked as Glenn turned around to look at him. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“You old. You’re…. you know this.” Glenn stumbled over his words no clue how he was supposed to say this. “So…. What if somebody told you something that somebody else should know…?”

“Glenn stop being dramatic.” Dale told him no clue where he was going with this. “Spit it out.”

“There’s… there’s walkers in the barn and Lori’s pregnant.” Glenn blurted out.

******************

“No shooting it.” Rick said as he handed Carl the smallest gun they had. “Your dad will kill me if he finds out I let you shot it.”

“Okay.” Carl agreed with small laugh.

“How does it fell?” Rick asked him as Carl lifted the gun up like he was going to shot it. “Too heavy?”

“No.” Carl shock his head moving it around a little to make sure. “When will I be allowed to actually shot it?”

“A couple days.” Rick promised. “Now give me the gun back and go and listen to what Shane’s telling everyone.”

Carl nodded as he handed the gun back walking over to his uncle.

****************

“Nervous Nelly?” Dale asked as he walked into the stables were Hershel was tending to the horse. “She found her way home?”

Hershel nodded as he turned to look at the other man. “Found her in the stall this morning.”

“I love your fields. Took a long walking this morning. I ended up by the barn. I head the moans.” Dale told the older man getting straight to the point.

“That’s unfortunate.”

“I’m sure you have you reasons for keeping this a secret.” Dale started Hershel cutting him off before he can say anything else.

“I saw the broadcasts before they stooped, saw the irrational fear, the atrocities, like the incident in my well.” Hershel told Dale the hatred for what happened clear as day in his voice.

“We put down a walker.” Dale pointed out not sure what the older man meant.

“You killed a person.” Hershel connected.

“Well, if you watched the same broadcasts I did, you saw walkers attack, kill innocents. They’re dangerous.” Dale told Hershel starting to get a little worried for the other man and his family.

“A paranoid schizophrenic is dangerous too. We don’t shoot dead people.” Hershel was struggling to see the way Dale did things just as much as the other man was struggling to see his way of thinking.

Dale looked at the older man for a second before with a small sigh saying. “With all due resepct, you are cut off from the outside world here. But I’ve seen people that I cared about die and come back, and when they do there not people.”

“My wife and stepson are in that barn, there still people.”

“I’m sorry.” Dale really was he knew what it was like to lose people but he also knew they couldn’t live this fare away from a building full of walkers, that it was just too dangerous. “Let me help. I’ll speak to Rick, he’s a good man. We can make the barn more secure, keep everyone safe.”

“The barn is secure. Keep this to yourself is you want to help.” Hershel told him his voice letting Dale know that this would be the end of the conversation. “Rick is a man of conscience, but are you so sure about everyone else in you group?”

****************

“Afternoon.” Lori smile as she walked up to Hershel.

“I take it your nephew did well.” Hershel said with a small polite smile.

“He didn’t actually get a chance to shot anything but he did well with the learning part yeah.” Lori nodded. “I just wanted to thank you. For everything you’ve done for my nephew, my brothers. And that I’m eternally great full for it all and for your hospitality. We’ll earn our keep.”  
“I appreciate that, but with Carl getting better, I imagine you’ll be moving on soon…. Fort Benning, I hear.” While Hershel was sympathetic to everything they had been through so far the last thing he wanted was for this group of people to stay any longer then they had. He was already struggling to deal with all the drama they brought and isn’t sure how much more of it he can take.

****************

“Hershel expects us to leave.” Lori said a little angrily as she walked up to her brother. “Does anybody else know?”

Rick shock his head as he turned round to face Lori. “Only Daryl.”

“Were you going to tell me?” Lori asked still mad at her brother.

“Of course.” Rick nodded.

“When? How long have you known?”

“Not long.” Rick promised. “You don’t need to worry about this.”

“How can you expect me not to worry?” Lori asked him in disbelief. “We have shelter here and food and water and medical care.”

“I’ve been talking to Hershel. IT’S not carved in stone.” Rick told her not ready to give up in convincing Hershel yet.

“He thinks it is.” Lori told him as she shook her head. “We have to fix this. People are settling in here. They’ll be devastated.”

“I know. I’m working on it.” Rick assured her not sure what else he was supposed to do.

“Maybe I can talk to him too and plead our case.” Lori suggested but her brother knew it was a bad idea almost straight away.

“No, things are uneasy. The best thing for us to do right now is give Hershel some space.”

“I don’t get how you could keep this from us. Carl’s barley back on his feet. And Sophia’s still missing. Daryl and T-dog are hurt. How can we leave right now?” Lori asked her anger for Rick coming back.

“It’s not what I want either Lori.” Rick sighed as he brought a hand up to run over his face. “My husband and son are injured the last thing I want right now is to have to leave, but I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep them safe, to keep you safe.” Rick promised.

“Okay.” Lori nodded being able to hear how much Rick meant this in his voice.

*******************

“The targets to small.” Andrea told Shane as he inspected the branch she was practicing shooting with, to see that she had missed every shot.

“Come on, that’s crap.” Shane told her loudly. “Half hour ago I saw you nail a bull’s eye at 25’ feet.”

“It wasn’t moving.” Andrea pointed out.

“You think a walkers gonna hold still for you? Focus and reload.” Shane told her as he pushed the branch making a swing. “Go again.” Shane walked back over to were Andrea was standing as she pulled her gun up trying to shot the branch. “Uh-oh, did I piss you off? Come on, girl you’ve got walkers all around you.” Shane started shouting at her as he walked back and forth behind Andrea. “They’re in the woods, they’re in the RV. You’re gonna need more than a damn screwdriver.”

“Stop badgering me.” Andrea told him finding it hard to focus on shooting with Shane so loud just behind her.

“You’re too damn emotional. You need to shut it down. Take all that guilt, take all that dear, that being pissed off, take it out.” Shane said as he got closer to Andrea, getting in her face.

“Right cause you’re so calm?” Andrea shot back at him.

Shane looked at Andrea for a second before bringing his own gun up and shooting at the still moving target. “See that?” Shane turned back to look at Andrea. “See I can be pissed off. I could be whistling ‘Dixie’ and I’ll always hit the target. But you, god, you shot like a damn girl. You stand here and you point your weapon. Point like you point your finger. So not thank about it. I’m talking about muscle memory, girl…. Muscle memory.” Shane walked back over to the branch pushing so that it started swinging again. “Now go on hot that son of a bitch.” Shane shouted moving out the way as Andrea started shooting at the target again. “He’s coming for you! He’s 10’ feet away! He’s 9’… He’s 5’ feet away! Right there that’s the walker that got Amy. Now shot that son of a bitch. Shot him!”

With the mention of her sister Andrea lowered her gun as she looked over at Shane in shock and hurt, shaking her head at him before she walked away leaving Shane on his own.

*********

Shane pulled up beside Andrea in the car as he said. “Come on let me give you a ride.”

“My feet work just fine.” Andrea told him the last thing she wanted to do in that moment was to get into a car with the man that used her dead sister to try and get her to shot better.

“Look, I’m just trying to get you rattled.” Shane started believing that it made what he did okay. “Give you an idea what it’s like when shit starts to fly.”

“Is that an apology?” Andrea asked as she stopped walking to look at Shane through the car.

“I crossed the line when I brought Amy into it.” Shane admitted, knowing that he had gone too far but still believing it was worth it if in the end Andrea knew how to protect herself. “Yeah, it’s an apology.”

“You’re a real dick sometimes.” Andrea told him.

“Yeah, I acknowledge that.” Shane nodded having been told that more than enough times, and perfectly okay with it. “I’ll tell you what… I’ve got a lead on Sophia. I’m gonna check it out. Why don’t you come with me, be my back up?”

Andrea looked at Shane for a moment weighing it over in her head before she nodded and opened the door to the passenger side of the car and getting in.

*********************

Dale looked over at Lori as he was handing some of the food out, seeing her the younger women brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she slowly started to walk over to somewhere a little more secluded. “My wife was pregnant once.” Dale said softly as he walked up behind her. “She miscarried and we didn’t try again after that.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“The think that I remember most is how nauseated she became at the smell of cooking meat. And she was a meat-eating gal my wife.” Dale smiled as he thought back to the fond memories he shared with his wife. “But with the pregnancy…. That thanksgiving, the turkey….. she couldn’t be in the house for two days until it aired out, poor thing.”

Lori looked at the older man for a couple seconds before saying with a small shake of her head. “Glenn told you?”

“What did you expect?” Dale asked her. “The boy has no guile.”

“I haven’t told Shane. I can’t.” Lori shock her head.

“Why?” Dale asked willing to let Lori talk his ear off about all this if it would help her. “I unlike Glenn won’t tell anyone so you can say whatever you want to me.”

“Shane and I had a kid.” Lori started with a small sigh. “Baby died and after that Shane made it very clear that he didn’t want to go through all that again. And that was years before all this happened. I have no clue how he will take it now.”

Dale sighed as he sat down on the log next to Lori. “No matter how much Shane can be a bit of asshole sometimes he does love you, I can see that. And he loves Carl. That’s not your only concern.”

“Memories are what keep joy going now. Memories of what life used to be. I have over thirty years of memoires. I can still remember all the joy from before this. Carl he only has ten years of memoirs, as he grows older he’s gonna remember less and less. This baby will not have any memories of what the world was like before this.” Lori said with a small sigh, feeling a little relived at saying that all out loud.

“You can’t think like that.” Dale told her with a small shake of his head. “We can still find joy and we can still take a strength from each other.”

“Do you really think this baby has a chance, that it could grow up and live a happy life?” Lori asked him disbelief. “Look me in the eye and tell me that my baby will grow to be your age and die happy.” Lori could feel the tear welling up in her eyes as she asked again. “Tell me. Tell me you believe that.” When all Dale did was look at her unable to truthfully tell her that Lori shock her head pushing herself up from the log and walked away.

**********

Glenn looked up from what he was doing as Lori walked over to him, straight away seeing the unshed tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m…. It just came out. And it was Dale.”

“It’s okay. I never should have put you in that position.” Lori shock her head knowing that Glenn wasn’t the one to blame for the conversation she just had, and also knowing that no matter how much it emotionally drained her Lori knew she needed to have that conversation. “I’ve been thinking about what you said about needing help. And your right I do.”

“Name it.” Glenn told her more than willing to do almost everything to help her.

“If you’re still willing to make a run into town for me.” Lori started as she handed over a small piece of paper with what she needed written on.

“I’m your man.” Glenn promised her as he took the paper.

“Thank you.” Lori smiled gratefully before she walked away.

*********************

Shane pulled the car up next to one of the house Andrea getting out as soon as it stopped.

Shane brought his binoculars up to his eyes, looking around trying to see if there was any walkers nearby before the two of them shared a look and started walking down the street, both of them keeping a close eye on what was going on around them.

“We’re gonna have to go house to house.” Shane pointed out. “We’ll start at the far end and work our way back.”

Andrea nodded agreeing with the other man before she said hopefully. “Is Sophia got this far, she had a real shot, don’t you think?”

Shane just looked at Andrea not believing that there was any chance of them finding Sophia alive.

*******************

Maggie walked through the gate slamming it shut behind her, “Hey we got your stuff!” She shouted over at Lori.

“Maggie hang on. Please.” Glenn begged as he tried to reach out and stop her, Maggie just shrugged his hand off and continued on her way to the older women.

Lori looked at Maggie before she turned to walk over to the closets tent telling the women. “Come on in here.”

“Why?” Maggie asked not giving Lori a chance to get in the tent as she started digging in her bag. “Nothing to hide. We got your special delivery right here. We got your lotion, got you conditioner, your soap opera digest.” With each word Maggie throw one of the things on to the floor.

“Maggie.” Lori almost begged not knowing what to do.

“Next time you want something, get it your damn self. We’re not your errand boys.” Maggie told her one last thing in her hands.

“Honey, I.” Lori tried but she was interrupted by Maggie throwing a box at her and shouting, “And here’s your abortion pills.”

Glenn looked at Lori feeling horrible for what had just happened before he made a decision and walked off in the direction Maggie had gone in with one last apologetic look at the older women.

“That was not cool.” Glenn told Maggie when he finally caught up to her.

“Which part? The part were that bitch almost got us killed?” Maggie asked some of the anger in her voice now changed to hurt.

“I should’ve gone alone.” Glenn told her feeling like crap for what happened to her at the store. “If you want to blame anyone, blame me.”

“Right take the blame. You know for a smart guy you’re really stupid.”

“Okay, I’m confused now, because I think you just paid me a complement but you made it s…..” Glenn was cut off before he could say more as Maggie cupped the sides of his face bringing him in for a kiss.

“I’ve already lost three of the people I care most about in this world.” Maggie told him when she pulled away from the kiss.

“Maggie….”

“Shut up. You’re smart, you’re brave, you’re a leader. But you don’t know it. And your friends don’t want to know it. They’d rather have you fetching peaches.” Maggie was still standing close to Glenn, her hands now resting lightly on his arms. “There’s a dead guy in the well? Send Glenn down. You’re walker bait. I can’t take you becoming one of them.” With that Maggie walked away leaving Glenn to think about everything she had just told him.

**************************

“Something’s going on with Lori.” Rick said as he walked into the room where Daryl and Carl were currently staying, his husband laying on the bed next to their sleeping son.

“What?” Daryl asked looking over at Rick.

“Something’s going on with Lori.” Rick repeated as he walked over to sit down on the chair next to the bed.

“You sure?” Daryl asked as he pushed himself up into a more comfortable sitting position, being careful not to wake Carl.

“Yeah, she’s just been acting a little strange the last couple days.” Rick explained with a sigh, everything going on starting to become a little much. “She knows now that Hershel wants us to leave.”

“How’d she take it?” Daryl asked, personally still mad at the older man for planning on kicking them out.

“How do you think?” Rick asked before shaking his head. “We can’t leave, not until we find Sophia and you, Carl and T-dog are better at least. But I don’t know how much longer Hershel can put up with us staying here.”

“You’re tried talking to him again?”

“I don’t want to push things. If I keep asking, keep pushing he’s probably more likely to kick us out.” Rick explained as he leaned forward in his chair. “I’ll talk to him again tomorrow. I thought he wasn’t tired.” Rick laughed looking over at their son, who when they had tried to get him to go back to his room had been adamant that he wasn’t tired.

“Passed out almost the minute we got here.” Daryl said and Rick could hear the small bit of laughter in his husband voice. “He can’t be out there like this.” What little bit of a laughter was in Daryl’s voice had quickly been replaced with worry.

“He won’t be.” Rick assured Daryl as he placed a hand on the man’s leg. “I’ll see if I can convince him to let us stay, even for a couple more weeks.”

***********************

Shane kicked the door down, walking into the dark house with his gun raised and on high alert, Andrea following close behind her own gun raised.

“Sophia? Anyone? Sophia?” Andrea shouted as they looked round the round the room, slowly walking further in until they were stopped by a small make shift barricade. “They walled off the hallway.”

“They tried to make a stand.” Shane commented before he bent down climbing threw the small hole that had been made in the bottom, a hole just about big enough for a person.

Andrea took one last look around the house before she followed Shane through the gap. “Sophia?”

Andrea and Shane slowly searched the rest of the house, only coming across a pile of dead walkers in what appeared to have once been a nursery.

Kicking his way back downstairs Shane and Andrea went to make their way out through the garage, both coming to a stop when they looked around the burnt up room, multiple burnt corpses laying in the middle.

“She was never here was she?” Andrea commented shaking her head as he kneeled down a little. “I don’t know how to tell Carol this was another dead end.”

Shane just shook his head before he walked the rest of the way out of the house and back towards the car. Andrea catching up quickly behind him.

*****************************

“The blood on Maggie shirt?” Lori asked when Glenn came back to camp and over to Lori’s tent a little while later.

“She was attacked.” Glenn explained not wanting to explain anymore about what happened.

“Are you guys alright? How bad was it?” Lori asked feeling in incredibly bad foe being the reason they were even out there in the first place.

“It was pretty close, but were okay.” Glenn assured her.

“I’m so sorry. I never should have asked you to go.” Lori shock her head as Glenn walked into the tent.

“I offered.” Glenn pointed out not wanting her to feel bad about it.

“I thought the town was safe, but if you hadn’t come back.” Lori shock her head again unable to even think about that.

“But we did. I always do.” Glenn pointed out with a small sigh as he pointed down to the pills that were sitting on the small table. “The morning-after-pill….. Will they even work?”

“I don’t know. And I done know if I want them.” Lori admitted with a small shrug.

“Then I got theses too.” Glenn said holding up a few bottles of pills. “Just in case.”

Lori took the bottles from the younger man before looking down at what’s written on the front. “Parental vitamins. That’s a hell of a choice.”

“I’m glad it’s not mine. Lori we’re friends, aren’t we?” Glenn asked his conversation with Maggie still replaying in his head.

“With everything we’ve been through, yeah.” Lori nodded not sure if she would have been friends with Glenn before everything happened but knowing that she at least saw the two of them as friends now.

“I can’t tell you what to do.” Glenn pointed out. “I could never tell you something like that, but you choice… maybe you shouldn’t make it on your own.” Glenn told her before he walked back out of the tent leaving Lori to her own thoughts.

*********************

Andrea looked over at Shane a small smirk on her face as she reached her hand over cupping Shane’s dick over his jeans a squeezing just a little.

Shane looked over at Andrea for a second before taking his foot of the gas and stopping the car. “Come on then.” Shane told her as he leaned back, Andrea hesitating a second before she moved over in the car, kissing Shane as he pulled her into his lap. Both of them ignoring that fact that Shane was married, and that his wife was back at camp.

*********************

Rick walked into his sister tent expecting to see Lori in there but instead finding the tent empty and a bottle of parental vitamins on the table in front of him.

Rick picked the bottle up in his hands, moving it around to take a better look as the realisation hit him. Turning back round when he heard a small noise Rick came face to face with his sister. “You’re pregnant.”

“I am.” Lori nodded knowing there was no way she was going to be able to talk her way out of this. “I found out a couple of days ago.”

“Are you okay?” Rick asked his worry for his sister growing. “Does Shane know?”

“I’m okay.” Lori assure her brother as she walked forward shutting the tent behind her, to give them just a bit more privacy. “And I haven’t told Shane yet.”

“Are you going to?” Rick would always be on his sister side, no matter what happened between her and Shane he would always pick Lori’s side. Rick was well aware of the state of their marriage before everything happened but in that moment he realised that he had no clue how things had been between the two of them since everything happened.

“Yeah of course.” Lori nodded having every intention of telling her husband what was going on. “I just don’t know how.”

“Just tell him.” Rick suggested even though he was well aware it wasn’t a very good suggestion. “I’m sure he’ll help you.”

“You haven’t seen him Rick.” Lori sighed as he let herself sink down to the one chair in the tent. “He’s been so distant, he was planning on leaving us just a few days ago.”

“He was what?” Rick asked his anger for Shane gowning. “He was planning on leaving you?”

“He didn’t.” Lori pointed out as if it made all that much of a difference. “He did stay in the end. After everything he didn’t want another kid, and that was before all this, what will he say now Rick?”

“If he loves you he will be there for you.” Rick told her knowing exactly what he would do if he found out Daryl was pregnant. “And that baby.”

“I don’t know if I want to have it.” Lori admitted. “Glenn found me some morning after pills, I don’t know what to do.”

Rick walked over so that he was standing directly in front of his sister before he bent down. “You do whatever you feel you need to do. Don’t feel like you have to do something for some else. Whatever you feel is the right move is what you need to do.”

“Thanks.” Lori smiled at Rick as she tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.

************************

Shane pulled the car up near the RV letting out a sigh before he turned the car off getting out the car and walking up towards were Daryl and Carol were waiting, Andrea right behind him.

“Anything?” Carol asked, everyone was able to hear how desperate she was to get some form of good news.

Shane shock his head as he told her, “Not today.”

“I’m so sorry.” Andrea apologised, all the emotions Carol was feeling were written clear as day on the older women’s face and Andrea felt horrible that they weren’t able to give her even a shred of hope right now. “We’ll cover more ground tomorrow.”

Dale looked between the pair knowing something was going on but not able to pin point it. “What happened out there?”

“The place was overrun.” Shane told Dale after almost a minute of silence from Andrea.

“Yeah.” Andrea agreed as Carol walked over to here placing a hand on her shoulder and said, “Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

Dale waited for the two women to be out of ear shot before he walked up to Shane and told him, “Shane, I was thinking, you’ve got that nice new ride of yours, plenty of fuel, more than enough for you to get far from here.”

“What, you telling me to leave?” Shane asked the other man in disbelief and a little anger.

“I know you’ve been planning to. Maybe now is a good time.” Dale was well aware of how close Shane and Andrea had become, and he was well aware that something else happened while they were gone.

“Is this about Andrea?” Shane asked having noticed the look Dale had been giving the two of them when they first got back.

“I’m looking out for the group.” Dale corrected him even though he was only half telling the truth.

“You think this group would be better off without me Dale?” Shane asked him his voice raising a little. “Why don’t you tell that to Rick and Daryl? Their boy would be dead if I hadn’t put my ass on the line.”

“And Otis’s. You’ve been very vague about that night, what happened.” Dale pointed out having known since Shane first told them what happened that there was something the man was hiding.

“Otis died a hero.”

“So you’ve said.”

“A little boy lived because of what went down that night. I think you ought to show some gratitude.” Shane told Dale his voice of tone worrying the older man just a little.

“I wasn’t there.” Dale pointed out. “No one was. But I was there that time you raised your gun on Rick.”

“Come on, Jesus.” Shane shock his head having thought that incident was long since dealt with.

“You had him in your sights and you held him there. I know what kind of man you are.”

“You think I’d shot Rick?” Shane asked faking disbelief. “That is my best friend. That’s a man I love. I love him like he’s my brother. You that’s the kind of man that I am?”

“That’s right.” Dale nodded having every reason to believe that was exactly who Shane was.

“Well then maybe you ought to just think that through. Say I am the kind of man who’s gun down his own best friend. What do you think I’d do to some guy that I don’t even like when he starts throwing accusations my way? What do you think?” Shane threatened before with one last look he walked away from the older man and towards his tent.

*************************

“What the fuck is this?” Shane almost shouted as he walked up to his wife, the box of morning after pills in his hand.

“What?” Lori asked as she looked away from the field and over at Shane. “Were did you find that?”

“On the table in our tent.” Shane told her throwing the box at her. “Why the fuck do you have it?”

“I’m pregnant Shane.” Lori sighed her chance to tell Shane on her own terms gone and knowing that if she didn’t come out with it now things would be even worse. “I’m pregnant.”

Shane looked over at his wife a look of pure shock on his face. “Did you take them?”

“I did.” Lori nodded with another sigh. “But I threw them up straight away. They wouldn’t have had a chance to work.”

Shane shock his head again not believing what he was hearing. “How did this even happen?”

“I don’t know. Condoms don’t always work.” Lori pointed out walking a little closer to her husband. “What are you going to do Shane?”

Shane looked at wife ignoring her question as he asked one of his own, “How long have you known?”

“Does it matter? I told you now.”

“No I fucking found these.” Shane said as he chucked the box at Lori. “Glenn knows though right? He was the one that got you these. Before you had even told your husband you got him to get these.”

“How the hell was I supposed to tell you Shane?” Lori asked as she shook her head, her own voice raising a little. “You made it very clear that kids was not something you wanted, and that was before the world turned to shit. So how the hell was I supposed to tell you?”

“You were supposed to tell me because I’m that kid’s father, I have the right to know before you go and kill it.”

“I threw the pill up Shane.” Lori reminded him. “We might not have a permanent place to stay, the world is crawling with the dead. There is nothing happy left and I didn’t know whether I wanted to bring a baby into this. I needed time to think without you telling me what to do. And I did think and I’m not a hundred percent sure I made the right decision but I made one.”

“You should have fucking told me!” Shane shouted at her

“You know now. And you get to decided what you want to do.” Lori told him as she turned back towards the camp. “You can leave like you were planning on leave me and this baby, or you can stay because this world is screwed up enough, this baby is going to be screwed up enough it doesn’t need its dad gone too. But it’s up to you Shane, I don’t give a fuck what you do anymore.” With one last shack of her head, not feeling up to carrying on the conversation, Lori walked away from her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I like to plan this series quite far ahead and I'm about to start planning future story. after season two of the walking dead, there is quite a few episodes that don't include Rick or Daryl and I was wondering if people wanted me to write chapters like that or if it would be better for me to write Rick or Daryl in every chapter. 
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some that you spotted while reading please let me know.


	7. Pretty much dead already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long since I update this story, I've been really busy recently and writing in my spare time has been really hard, the last couple days I have gotten back into writing so I hope you like the new chapter.

_**Daryl didn’t really like things at the camp sight. There wasn’t really one thing he didn’t like, he just didn’t like it.** _

_**Daryl really wished he could be anywhere else. He could be anywhere else but stuck by some quarry with a bunch of people he didn’t know and so far didn’t really like.** _

_**Shane was already starting to pull all the wrong strings for Daryl, the man didn’t seem to understand that Carl wasn’t his kid that he didn’t have any say in what Carl was and wasn’t allowed to do. Shane had never really seemed to understand that Carl wasn’t his son and it was always something that really pissed Daryl off.** _

_**“You okay?” Lori asked as she sat down next to her brother-in-law.** _

_**“Yeah, I’m fine.” Daryl nodded as he kept his focus on the arrow he was trying to fix in his hands.** _

_**“You’re not.” Lori corrected with a small sigh. “How’s Carl been doing?”** _

_**“How do you think?” Daryl snapped as he looked up at Lori. “His dad just died so he’s doing really well.”** _

_**“I can’t wrap my head around the fact that he’s gone.” Lori admitted as she looked down at her hands. “Rick was always there, even when the two of you moved away I always had my brother and I can’t quit believe that he’s dead. If you need some time on your own Shane and I would be more them happy to look after Carl.”** _

_**“There are dead people walking around trying to eat people where exactly would I go?” Daryl asked her a small edge to his voice.** _

_**“Go hunting. Everyone is going to need food soon. Carl will be just fine with us for a few hours.” Lori assured the older man trying to give him a comforting look. “I get it if you just need some time on your own.”** _

_**Daryl nodded a little reluctantly, knowing that a bit of time on his own and away from everyone would do him so good but also worried about Carl being left alone.** _

_************************************************************************************** _

“Um…. Guys….” Glenn started nervously as he walked up to where everyone else was eating breakfast. “So…. The barn is full of walkers.”

Rick looked over at the other man before he pushed himself out of his seat, Shane Daryl and T-dog quickly following him as they made their way down to the barn, everyone else in the group following at a slightly slower pace.

Shane walked ahead of everyone as they got close to the barn, walking up to a hole in the side and looking through, horrified at the sight that greeted him. “You cannot tell me you’re all right with this.” Shane said to Rick as he turned back to the rest of the group.

“No, I’m not.” Rick shock his head. “But were guests here. This isn’t out land.”

“This is our lives!” Shane shouted not be believing that Rick could even consider to keep quiet about this.

“Lower your voice.” Glenn told them not wanting them to attract any more attention then they probably already have.

“We can’t just sweep this under the rug.” Andrea pointed out.

“It ain’t right. Not even remotely.” Shane shock his head feeling like most of this group had lost their damn mind if they would even consider letting this slid. “Okay we’ve wither got to go in there, we’ve got to make things right or we’ve just got to go. Now we have been talking about Fort Benning for a long time.”

“We can’t go.” Rick shock his head surprised that Shane would even consider leaving with everything happening right now.

“Why, Rick? Why?” Shane asked not getting why people were so attached to staying at this damn farm.

“Because my daughter is still out there.” Carol pointed out.

“Okay. Okay, I think it’s time that we all start to just consider the other possibility…” Shane started before he was cut off by Rick who wasn’t in the mod to listen to this speech from Shane all over again. “We’re not leaving Sophia behind.”

“I’m close to finding the girl.” Daryl told Shane, having been planning on going back out that day. “I just found her damn doll a few days ago.”

Shane shock her head, everything about this group and there attachment to finding a dead girl getting on his nerves beyond belief. “You found her doll, Daryl. That’s what you did. You found a doll.”

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” Daryl told his brother-in-law as he walked closer to the man.

“I’m just saying what needs to be said. You get a good lead, it’s in the first 48 hours.” Rick moved himself between Shane and Daryl trying to keep the two apart.

“Shane stop.” Rick told his friend knowing that Shane was pushing Daryl to the edge of his rope and that it wasn’t going to end well for either of them.

“Let me tell you something else, man.” Shane told Daryl not listening to Rick “If she were alive out there and saw you coming all method out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck, she would run in the other direction.” That seemed to be the last straw for Daryl as he moved forward ready to go for Shane as Rick put his hands on Daryl’s shoulders trying to push him back.

His anger to build up Daryl just pushed his husband a little as he tried to get round Rick and to Shane, wanting to wipe the smug look that seemed to permanently be on Shane’s face.

“Back off.” Rick shouted at Shane as they were finally able to split the two of them up, Lori pushing her husband away.

“Keep your hands off me.” Shane told his wife, his anger built up so much that he was taking it out on everyone.

Rick looked over at Daryl, needing to make sure that his little scuffle hadn’t hurt any of his wounds before quickly turning back to Shane and suggesting. “Now just let me talk to Hershel. Let me figure it out.”

“What are you gonna figure out?!”

“If we’re gonna stay, if were gonna clear this barn I have to talk him into it.” Rick told Shane trying to keep himself calm and not escalate the situation all over again. “This is his land.”

“Hershel sees those things in there as people.” Dale informed them thinking back to his conversation with Hershel the day before. “Sick people… his wife and stepson.”

“You knew?” Rick asked looking round at Dale.

“Yesterday.” Dale nodded. “I talked to Hershel.”

“And you waited the night.” Shane shock his head, a little surprised that the people in his group could do even more to piss him off.

“I thought we could survive one more night.” Dale nodded knowing he had made the right decision on letting Glenn be the one to tell them. “We did, didn’t we? I was waiting till this morning to say something, Glenn wanted to tell you.”

“This man is crazy Rick.” Shane told him with a shack of his head. “If Hershel thinks those things are alive.”

Everyone turned around as the noise from the barn grew, the commotion and loud voices from outside having disturbed the walkers, who were now pushing on the barn door desperately trying to get to the sound, to the food.

*************************************

“We the fuck are we gonna do?” Daryl asked his husband once the group had made their way back to their small camp, and he and Rick got some privacy in their tent.

“I’m gonna talk to Hershel.” Rick said not sure what else there was for him to do.

“What about Shane?” Daryl didn’t really care how they dealt with Hershel, but he did care about how they dealt with Shane. “He can’t just go around shouting the things he is. Think about Carol.”

“I don’t know what to do about Shane.” Rick admitted with a small sigh. “I’ve talked to him and so has Lori, nothings worked so far. He’s dead set on us going to Fort Benning, the barn is just giving him an excuse.”

“We can’t leave.” Daryl pointed out with a sigh. “Sophia is still missing, Carl ain’t healed properly yet. We can’t leave.”

“Were not going to leave.” Rick promised as he moved to stand in front of Daryl, placing his hands on Daryl’s shoulder. “I’m gonna make sure we don’t leave until we find Sophia and Carl is up to it.”

“What the fucks going to happen with the barn?” Daryl trusted Rick to do everything he could to make sure they could stay here. “If Dale’s right and Hershel just sees them as sick people he’s not going to let us kill them.”

“He’s not.” Rick agreed with small nod. “But I can talk to him, see what he’s willing to do.”

“Okay.” Daryl nodded. “I’m gonna go out look for Sophia.”

“You sure you’re up for it?” Rick asked not licking the idea of Daryl out there right now.

“We need to find her.” Daryl pointed out before he pulled away from Rick and walked out of the tent, Rick following close behind.

“Maggie.” Glenn said as he walked up to the women. “Hey, Maggie, just talk to me. Hey Maggie.”

“Give me your hat.” Maggie told Glenn as she finally turned round to look at him. “You said you wanted to talk to me, I’m talking. Now give me your hat.”

Glenn nodded a confused look on his face as he took his hat off his head handing it over to Maggie, who placed something in it then pushed the hat back onto Glenn’s head. The egg cracking and spilling down Glenn’s head.

“Why would you waste an egg like that?” Glenn asked in shock.

“I think it was rotten.” Maggie told him before she walked away.

“Does Shane think Sophia’s dead?” Carl asked his dad as Rick moved to sit down next to him.

“Shane’s just scared.” Rick told Carl not wanting his son to lose hope in them finding her.

“Of the walkers in the barn?” Carl asked not a hundred percent sure of everything going on but knowing enough to piece things together.

“Yeah.”

“Dad.” Carl looked up at his dad, looking Rick right in the eyes before he said. “I’m not leaving until we find Sophia. And I don’t really want to go after that.”

Rick wished he could tell his son that they wouldn’t have to leave, even when they found Sophia, he knew that he couldn’t. At least not truthfully. “Were not going to leave yet Carl. Now do your work.” Rick told Carl as he stood back up.

“You can’t.” Carol said as she walked up to were Daryl was packing stuff up to out with him.

“I’m fine.” Daryl tried to assure Carol even though they both knew he was telling a lie.

“Hershel said you needed more time to heal.” Carol pointed out, the last thing she wanted was for Daryl to hurt himself even more trying to find her daughter.

“Yeah, I don’t care.” Daryl shock his head determined to do what he could to find that little girl.

“Well I do.” Carol told him trying to portray how much she had grown to care about him in her tone of voice. “And I know Rick and Carl do. Rick said he would follow the trial for you.”

“Yeah well.” Daryl shock his head. “I ain’t gonna sit around and do nothing.”

“No you’re gonna go out there and get yourself hurt even worse.” Carol corrected him as Rick walked up to the pair.

“She’s right you can’t go out like this.”

“I need to find her.”

“We don’t even know if were gonna find her.” Carol said for the first time out loud. “Daryl, we don’t. I don’t.”

“What?” Daryl asked shock as he looked up at Carol.

“I can’t loss you too. Rick and Carl can’t lose you.”

Daryl shock his head as he looked over at her before throwing his hands into the air and walking off with a small huff and some words that Carol couldn’t quite hear.

************************************************

“Andrea’s looking for you.” Glenn said as he walked up to Dale.

“Thank you Glenn.” Dale nodded up at the younger man who was sat on tip of his RV.

“Any chance you got an extra hat?” Glenn asked a little hopefully.

“Nope.” Dale said as he took the hat of his head chucking it up at Glenn, who smiled down with a “Thanks.” Dale walked into the RV were Andrea was getting the guns ready.

“I’m going off with Rick to look for Sophia.” Andrea told the older man looking up at him.

“I thought he was talking to Hershel.” Dale said a little confused.

“He is.” Andrea nodded. “We’re gonna go after. I’m headed to the barn in the meantime. Shane wants a watch duty down there.”

“Does Rick?” Dale asked not wanting to have to deal with even more fighting between members of his group.

“Why wouldn’t he?”

“Are you only getting yours?” Dale asked looking between the guns and Andrea. “I don’t know what’s going on with you and him, but he’s a married man.”

“Dale.” Andrea said not sure what she could say to something like that.

“It’d none of my business.” Dale pointed out knowing sometimes he has the tendency to over insert himself into Andrea’s life. “All that matters to me is that you, he’s a married man yet he’s started something between the two pf you, you might not really know him.”

“We don’t need to do this.” Andrea assured Dale not really wanting to talk about this anymore. “You and I are finally…”

“It’s important.” Dale cut her off.

“I get it, you don’t like him.

“It isn’t that.” Dale told her even though he was only half telling the truth.

“Then what is it?” Andrea asked knowing exactly why Dale had a problem with all of it, and that problem was Shane.

“Is that how you want to be? Like him?” Dale asked her with a small shake of his head. “He’s cheating on his wife.”

“He’s not a victim.” Andrea told Dale trying to not let herself think about the fact that she had slept with a married man, that she wanted to sleep with him again.

“You don’t need him.” Dale assured her.

“Dale I need you to stop.” Andrea told Dale as she went to walk out of the RV. “You sepnf so much time watching me, looking out for me.”

“You want to beat me up anytime I show any concern.” Dale pointed out. “Go ahead, I’m done.”

“I’m not beating you up Dale. I’m okay really. Things are different.”

“You got your gun?” Dale asked as Andrea opened the door.

Andrea said “Yeah.” Before she walked out of the RV, Dale walking out not long after her.

“You okay?” Glenn asked Dale, having heard a little of the conversation.

“Yeah.” Dale nodded as he sat down on the chair outside the RV.

*****************************************

“Daryl.” Rick sighed as he walked up behind his husband. “You can’t go out there.”

“You to.” Daryl shock his head as he turned round to look at Rick. “I’m going out to look for her.”

“You want to find Sophia, more than anything. I understand Daryl.” Rick assured him needing his husband to know he would always be on his side but that he wanted Daryl safe, he needed Daryl safe. “But think about Carl. You’re not up to it yet and that’s okay. But if you do go out there right now you could get really hurt. Think about what it would do to our son if you got hurt.”

Daryl shock his head. “I aint gonna let myself get killed Rick.”

“Last time you went out you got an arrow through your side and a bullet grazed your head.” Rick reminded Daryl, trying to put all the emotions he was feeling into his voice so that Daryl would understand just how much this meant to him, how much he needed this. “I had to watch as bullet grazed the side of your head. I saw your fall to the floor. I thought you were dead.”

Daryl sighed as he looked up at his husband finally seeing all the emotions playing across the man’s face. “I won’t go out today. But as soon as Hershel says I can I’m out there.”

Rick nodded knowing how much of a compromise this was for Daryl. “Okay.”

“You need to talk to Hershel.” Daryl reminded Rick.

“I’ll go talk to him now.” Rick nodded with one last look at his husband before he walked off towards the house.

*****************************************

Rick walked up the steps of the house, knocking on the front door as soon as he got there.

Hershel looked over at the door, seeing Rick through the glass before he said loudly. “Come on in.”

Rick pushed the front door open walking through the house and over to were Hershel was sitting down at the dining room table, eating breakfast with a book in front of him. “Little light reading for lunch?”

“Been working so hard lately I get my studying where I can.” Hershel nodded looking up from his book.

“You know we can help you out with your work.” Rick told Hershel wanting to whatever he could to help convince Hershel to let them stay.

“It’s my field to tend.” Hershel pointed out.

“We found the barn.” Rick said knowing he couldn’t hold it off anymore.

“Leave it be.” Was all Hershel said, not wanting to get any more into this.

“Well I’d like to talk about it, but either way…. Your barn, your farm, your say.” Rick assured the older man.

“I don’t want to talk about the barn.” Hershel shock his head. “I don’t want a debate.”

“Not a debate, a discussion.” Rick knew that he might be pushing things a little bit, but he also knew things would be a whole lot worse is he didn’t say anything at all.

Hershel looked up at Rick as he leaned back a little in his seat. “I need you and your group gone by the end of the week.”

“I talked to Dale.” Rick started. “You and I have our differences with the way we look at walker. Those people, may be dead, they may be alive. But my people, us we are alive right now, right here in front of you. You send us out there and that might change.”

“I’ve given you safe harbour. My conscience is clear.”

Rick sighed not having expected this conversation to be easy but also not having expected it to go downhill so quickly. “This farm, this farm is special. You’ve been shielded from what’s going on out there. Dale said you saw everything that happened in the news. Well it’s been…. It’s been a long time since the cameras stopped rolling. The first time I saw a walker it was just half a body snapping at me from the ground. My inclination wasn’t to kill it. But what the world it out there isn’t what you saw on the TV. It is much much worse and it changes you. Wither into one of them or something a lot less than the person you were. Please do not, do not send up out there again.” Rick begged the older man. “My sister is pregnant, my son and husband are injured. If we were to stay we could help you with the work, with securing this place. We can survive together.”

“Rick, I’m telling you we can’t.” Hershel said, Rick’s speech not having changed his mind.

“You think about what you’re doing?” Rick asked the man.

“I’ve thought about it.” Hershel assured him.

“Think about it?”

“I’ve thought about it.” Hershel repeated.

“Think about it again. We can’t go out there.”

***********************************

“What’s it gonna be man?” Shane asked as soon as Rick walked out of the house. “Which way does this thing go?”

“I don’t know yet.” Rick told him as he walked down the stairs.

“Well what did he say?” Shane asked following his friend down the stairs.

“Were negotiating.”

Shane chuckled sarcastically. “Clock’s ticking, Rick.”

“No, it isn’t Shane. That Barn.” Rick stopped and looked round at his friend, his hand pointed towards the ban. “The Barn is secure. We didn’t even know about it till this morning.”

“We didn’t.” Shane agreed with a small nod. “We, we know about it now Right? We know there’s over a dozen walkers in there. We know that it’s all about a stone’s throw from out camp, Rick… where we sleep/ so look, if we’re not gonna go in there and clear it out then we just got to go.”

“We’re not gonna clear it out and we’re not gonna go.” Rick told his friend.

“We at least need our guns.”

Rick shock his head. “We can’t have them. Not here.” The last thing Rick wanted to do right now was carry guns around the farm and give Hershel another reason to kick them out.

“Why do you want to stay here when it’s not safe?”

“It’s safer than it is out there.” Rick pointed out. “And we can make it safe.”

“How we gonna do that?” Shane asked in disbalife.

“We will. Okay.” Rick assured him.

“NO, man it’s not okay.” Shane shock his head.

“Your wife is pregnant.” Rick pointed out with a shack of his head shocked that Shane hadn’t been thinking about that. “We need to stay for her.”

“WE need our guns.” Shane corrected him still not ready to give this up.

“No, I can work this out. You good?”

“Yeah.” Shane nodded even though he really wasn’t before Rick walked away and over to his tent.

*******************************

Hershel walked over to his daughter, knowing that she had overheard his Conversation with Rick. “Carl doesn’t need any more of my help.”

“So that’s it?” Maggie asked with a shack of her head, not understanding hoe her father could be like this.

“Rick was trying to make his case. It’ll be hard. They’ll have to be careful. But he was just being dramatic. They’re a strong group. They’ve done well on their own.” Hershel told her, believing that what he was saying was the truth. “They’re just gonna have to go out and find their own farm. There’s plenty of them now to choose from.”

“There aren’t.” Maggie told him having seen the outside world more than any on else in their house she knew a lot more than her father did about what would be waiting for this group out there. “Every one of them nearby is burned out or full of walkers.”

“Walker? So we just keep these people here forever? How are they my responsibility?” Hershel asked her.

“Love one another as I have loved you. That’s what you told me, right? I was mad about mum, mad about you marrying Annette. I was 14 years old and I was awful, you more than anybody. All I wanted to do was smoke and shoplift. Love one another. That’s what you told me.” Maggie reminded her father.

“Maggie.” Hershel shock his head. “That was different.”

“No. you’re different.” Maggie corrected him.

“I am.” Hershel agreed with a small nod. “But were not. I love you. That’s a part of this. I this about you and the Asian boy? Do you want to to…?”

“No.” Maggie cut him off with a sigh. “His name is Glenn. He saved my life the other day when one of the people you think is sick tried to kill me. How’s that for dramatic? Things aren’t what you think they are. They aren’t. Don’t do this, okay? It’s not about me and Glenn, it’s about me and you. It’s about you. It’s about who you are, who you’re gonna be.” Maggie hoped what she said would be enough to convince her dad to let them stay, even for a little while longer, at least until they were able to find somewhere else safe to say.

**************************

“Rick.” Hershel said as he walked up to were Rick and Andrea were standing around a car, map and guns out in front of them.

“Hershel.” Rick said as he turned round to face the older man. “We just have our guns out because we’re gonna go look for Sophia.”

“Before you do that I could use your help with something.” Hershel half asked half told Rick.

“Count me in.” Andrea piped up.

“Thank you.” Hershel smiled gratefully at her. “But I just need Rick.”

“I’ll be down by the barn keeping watch until you’re ready.” Andrea told Rick before she walked off.

Rick looked back over at Hershel once Andrea was out of earshot. “What do you need my help with?”

“We have a small problem down by the river.”

****************************************

“I thought he was dead.” Shane started as he walked up to Lori, the two of them talking for the first time since he found out she was pregnant. “And things were good between us, better than they have been for a while. Then Rick came back, can I don’t know why but things changed again. And the sad thing is I know that sooner or later he’ll be dead, because Rick, he ain’t built for this world, not for the way it now.”

“You’re wrong.” Lori shock her head, knowing that her brother was going to survive in this world. “You’re wrong.”

“How many times have I saved your life?” Shane asked her. “How many times have I saved Daryl and Carl’s life? I just want to know because by my count I’ve said all your lives at least four times. How many times has Rick saved your life, any of you?”

“Rick has done more for me then you know Shane. He’s my older brother, he’s always been there for me. And Daryl and Carl, Rick would do absolutely everything for them.” Lori pointed out with a shack of her head. “And that night at camp, Rick saved a lot of people that night.”

“Rick takes stupid risks, he takes risks that put people in danger.” Shane told her as he moved closer to his wife. “He went on a suicide mission to save his drug dealer, drug user of a brother-in-law, he was willing to risk anything to get to the C.D.C. and he’s doing the same now with Sophia.”

“Rick doesn’t do things unless he truly believes it’s the right thing to do.” Lori insisted knowing she was right. “Recently you’ve not wanted to listen to anyone else.”

“Rick’s wrong.”

“I really can’t have this conversation again.” Lori sighed, feeling way too tired for this. “Rick is doing everything he can for us to stay here and you need to give him a chance.” Shane looked at his wife for a second before he nodded and walked off back towards the camp.

“Hey Uncle Shane.” Carl said as he walked out from where he had been standing by some tree’s, stopping his uncle. “Can I talk to you for a sec?”

“You okay?” Shane asked looking down at the kid.

“Yeah.” Carl nodded as he tried to make himself look bigger and taller. “I know you think Sophia’s dead. And that we should stop looking for her. But that bullshit.”

“Hey, man, watch your mouth.”

“We’re gonna stay here until we find her.” Carl told him, trying to make sure his voice sound like there was no room for argument.

“You think that’s what we should do?” Shane asked.

“It’s what I know we should do.” Carl nodded.

“Then we stay. That means we got to do whatever we got to do to make that happen. Mmmm?”

“Like help out with chores?”

“Mmmm. Like help out with chores.” Shane nodded before he was interrupted from saying anything else by Daryl shouting. “Carl, come her!”

“Why don’t you go and see you dad.” Shane said as he pushed Carl in the direction of Daryl.

******************************

“Son of a bitch!” Shane shouted as he looked for his gun around the RV.

“What?” Glenn asked as Shane stormed out.

“Dale, Glenn.” Shane looked up at where the younger man was on top the RV. “Did you see where Dale went?”

“Yeah, he asked me to run and get him some water. He said he’s cover me on watch.” Glenn told him.

“And he was gone when you got back, huh?” Shane asked even though he already knew the answer.

Glenn nodded. “Yeah. You think he’s okay?”

“Oh, he’s fine.”

“Why’d he bail then?” Glenn asked a little confused.

“So you wouldn’t tell me which way he went.”

“I don’t get it.”

“No, man you don’t.” Shane said looking out into the field, walking over to where he assumed Dale would have gone.

************************************

“The silt on the bottom is like glue.” Hershel told Rick as they walked with Jimmy down to a small lake. “You just sink in.” The three of them walked down a bit further as two walkers came into sight and Hershel said with a small sigh. “That’s Lou Bush.”

“You knew him?” Rick asked looking over at the female and male walkers currently stuck.

“Lou as n Louise.” Hershel corrected him. “She has a farm up the road. Sweet corn mostly, worked at hapman’s bar on weekends. The man, I don’t know him but the coveralls, I’ve been to where he worked. How many have you killed?”

Rick looked over at Hershel for a moment before he decided the best move to make was to be truthful. “Too many to count.”

“Can you stop?” Hershel asked him. “There are people out there who haven’t been in their right minds, people who I believe can be restored.”

“You’re not talking about the walkers, are you?” Rick asked as the three of them stopped in front of the walkers looking over at Hershel.

“It doesn’t matter if you see them as human beings anymore. But if you and your people are going to stay here, that’s how you’re gonna have to treat them. My farm, my barn, my say.” Hershel needed them all to understand this if he was ever going to even consider letting them stay on his farm.

Rick looked over at Hershel before he took the stick off the other man willing to help them with this if his family could be here and safe.

*********************************

“You see it?” Daryl asked as he and Carol walked up to a bush, full of the flowers he had given to her just a few days ago.

“See what?” Carol asked not sure what she was supposed to be looking for.

“I’ll find her.” Daryl promised as he looked over at the older women. ! Hey, I’m sorry about this morning.”

“You wanted to look for her. Why?” Carol asked him not really understanding why Daryl was so set on going out there and finding her even after he got hurt. “This whole time I’ve just wanted to ask you.”

“’Cause I think she’s still out there.” Daryl told her before he added. “Because I don’t know what I would fucking do if Carl was the one out there, I don’t fucking know.”

“We’ll find her.” Carol nodded for the first time in a day or two actually believing it. “We will. I see it.”

***********************************

“Maggie.” Glenn said loudly as he walked up to the older women. “Hey, Maggie. Maggie just stop for a second.”

“You tod them.” Maggie pointed out as she turned round to look at Glenn. “You told Dale, fine. I asked you, I told you, I asked for one thing. One thing.”

“I had to tell them.” Glenn told her feeling a little bad about not being able to do this for her but also knowing that in the end he had made the right decision. “I couldn’t keep it a secret.”

“My dad’s going to kick you guys out now. He told me.” Maggie told him, knowing there was going to be very little that could persuade her dad right now.

“No, Rick’s gonna work something out with your dad, Okay? I had to tell them.”

“You did not.” Maggie shock her head.

“No, I did. I wanted to. They are my group, Okay? Listen.” Glenn asked when it looked like Maggie was going to walk away from him. “You see I forgot. I forgot or I stopped thinking about it or maybe I didn’t want to think about it. I let them lover me into that well like it was fun, like I was playing some video game.  
And then the pharmacy happened and I realised something. I forgot that they’re dangerous. I don’t care if they’re sick people or dead people, they’re dangerous. And then I realized something else. That I don’t want you in danger ever. So I het to blow you dad’s big secret, but I’m sick of secrets. Secrets get you killed and I’d rather have you pissed off at me and alive then liking me and dead. So that’s why I told them.” Glenn looked at Maggie for one more second before he walked away from her.

Maggie watched Glenn walk away for a second before deciding what she was going to do and shouting. “Hey walker bait?”

“Don’t call me that.” Glenn told her as he turned back round to look at Maggie.

Maggie walked towards Glenn with a small nod, “Okay, Glenn.” With a small smile Maggie reached her hands forward placing them on either side of Glenn’s face before pulling him in for a kiss

**********************************

As Rick used the pole to catch the walker round the neck, he wasn’t sure whether this was going to be the best choice they could be making right now. He understood why Hershel wanted to see these things as human, he was sure what if he saw one of his own family as walkers he wouldn’t want to see them as the monsters they are, but Rick knew that helping Hershel like this was going to cause even more tension with his brother-in-law.

Bur Rick helped Hershel anyway, even as the walker tried to reach him, Rick continued to help the older man because he knew they needed to stay at the farm. There was no way a group like them would survive in this world. Rick needed Hershel to let them stay and he was willing to do anything to help.

***********************************

“Man, this is a good hiding place.” Shane laughed a little as he walked up to were Dale was hiding the guns. “We ain’t been in the swamps much, huh?”

“Imagine if you applied your tracking skills to find Sophia.” Dale commented as he turned round to look at Shane.”

“How about you give me that bag, huh?” Shane asked him deciding to ignore Dale’s last comment about Sophia.

“I’m not going to do that.” Dale shock his head.

“Yeah you are, Dale. Unless well, you do have that rifle over your shoulder.” Shane pointed out trying to goad Dale into doing something.

“You gonna shot me like you did Otis? Tell another story?” Dale asked.

Shane chuckled a little as he shook his head. “No, man. Hell, whey you really look at it in the cold light of day, you’re pretty much dead already. Just give me the guns. Do it now.”

“You think this is going to keep us safe?” Dale asked pointing down to the bag in his hands.

“Mm-hmm. I know it is.” Shane nodded.

“Rick is trying to get Hershel….”

“Dale shut up!” Shane shouted at the older man. “Just shut up and give me the guns.”

“Am I gonna have to shoot you? Do I have to kill you? Is that wah it’s gonna take?” Dale asked even though he hoped more than anything that it wouldn’t be the case.

Shane chuckled again as he walked forward till he was standing right in front of Dale’s raised gun. “Eh, yeah that’s what it’s gonna take.”

“This is where you belong Shane.”

“How’s that Dale?” Shane asked him.

“This world what it is now, this is where you belong. And I may not have what it takes to last for long, but that’s okay. ‘Cause at least I can say when the world goes to shit I didn’t let it take me down with it” Dale picked the bag off the floor, pushing it into Shane’s arms who just smirked at him with a small “Fair enough.” And walked away, back towards the farm.

************************************

“You look like you should be in line for an early bird special.” Maggie laughed as she took Dale’s hat from Glenn. “Go get your cap. I’ll wash it for you, okay?” She offered feeling a little bad for being the reason he couldn’t wear it.

Glenn nodded placing his hand on Maggie’s leg briefly before he pushed himself up from the step, planning on walking back over to his tent only to be stopped by T-dog and Andrea walking towards them.

“Do you know what’s going on?” T-dog asked them.

“Where is everyone?” Andrea asked confusing Glenn a little,

“You haven’t seen Rick?” Glenn stopped walking as T-dog and Andrea reached him, Maggie standing up from where she was still sat on the step.

“We were supposed to leave a couple hours ago.” Andrea told them planning on saying more before she was stopped by Daryl and Carol walking over to them. “Yeah you were.” Daryl said confused as to what his husband could possibly be up to. “What the hell?”

“Rick told us he was going out.” Andrea informed them sounding just as confused as the rest of the small group felt. “

“Dammit.” Daryl shock his head, trying not to let himself get to angry at his husband but the anger winning over as he said. “Is anybody taking this seriously? We got a damn trail.” Daryl looked out towards the field to were Shane was walking back towards them, bag of guns in hand. “Oh, here we go.” Daryl walked closer to his brother-in-law as Shane brought on of the guns up. “What’s all this?”

“You with me man?” Shane asked Daryl, knowing that while Daryl had stood by Rick’s side with the barns in the walker that morning that his brother-in-law was just as happy with the barn as he was.

Daryl nodded as he took the gun from Shane, knowing that it was going to cause problems with him and Rick but in that moment not caring.

“Time to grow up.” Shane walked past Daryl and towards the rest of the group. “you already got yours?”

“Yeah.” Andrea nodded not sure what exactly was going on. “Where’s Dale.”

“He’s on his way.” Shane assured her.

“I thought we couldn’t carry.” T-dog pointed out as he took a gun off Shane.

“We can and we have to.” Shane corrected him, finally done with listening to Rick and all the rules that were going to get them hurt or killed. “No, look. It was one thing standing around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain’t. How about you, man? You gonna protect yours?” Shane asked as he handed a gun over to Glenn. “That’s it. Can you shoot?”

“Can you stop?” Maggie asked knowing this was going to be the last straw for her dad and that he was going to kick them all out now if Shane went through with what he was planning. “You do this, you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight.”

“We have to stay Shane.” Carl told him uncle as he walked down the stairs to the house.

“What is this?” Lori asked as she walked up to the group, having heard all of the commotion.

“We ain’t going anywhere, ok?” Shane promised the group. “Now look, Hershel…. He’s just gotta understand, ok? Well he’s gonna have to. And we need to find Sophia.” Shane walked over to Carl kneeling down in front of the boy. “Am I right? Huh? Now I want you to take this.” Shane held a gun in front of Carl hoping the boy would listen to him. “You take it, Carl and you keep your family safe. You do whatever it takes. You know how. Go on take the gun and do it.”

“Rick said no guns.” Lori pointed out as she stood between her husband and nephew. “This is not your call. This is not your decision to make.”

“Oh shit.” T-dog muttered loudly drawing everyone’s attention his way, to where he was watching Rick, Jimmy and Hershel were leading two walkers towards the barn.

Shane shock his head not believing what he was seeing. “What is that?” Shane asked before he took off running towards them. The rest of the group all quick to follow him, all for separate reasons.

Rick tried to ignore the group running towards them as he focused solely on the walkers.

“What the hell you doing?” Shane shouted as he burst through the gate.

“Shane just back off.” Rick told him in that moment not able to deal with the other man.

“Why do your people have guns?” Hershel asked whoever was willing to answer.

“Are you kidding me?” Shane asked his voice still raised as he walked round the back of the walkers. “You see. You see what they’re holding on to?”

“I see who I’m holding on to!” Hershel confirmed.

“No man, you don’t.” Shane shock his head still finding it hard to believe what was happening in front of him.

“Shane just let us do this.” Rick almost begged his brother-in-law. “Then we can talk.”

“What you want to talk about Rick?” Shane asked as he walked past Daryl who’s gun was raised to the walker in front of Rick ready to shoot if it got anywhere near his husband. “These things ain’t sick! They’re not people! They’re dead! Ain’t gotta feel nothing for them, because all they do? They kill. These things, right here! They’re the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis! They’re gonna kill all of us!”

“Shane, shut up!” Rick shouted towards his best friend.

“Hey Hershel, man, let me ask you something.” Shane looked towards the older man not listening to Rick. “Could a living breathing person. Could they walk away from this?” Shane asked as he grabbed his gun, shooting the walker that Hershel had a hold of in the chest multiple times.

“Stop it!” Rick shouted at Shane knowing that if he went any further they would be screwed.

“That’s three rounds in the chest!” Shane pointed out still deciding to ignore everything Rick was saying. “Could someone who’s alive, could they take that?” why is It still coming?” Shane shot the walker two more times. “Why is it still coming?”

“Shane enough!” Rick shouted again as Shane continued to shoot the walker.

“Hey, you’re right man.” Shane agreed as he walked towards the walker. “That is enough.” Shane brought the gun up, shooting the walker in the head.

Hershel fell down to the ground with the walker as Shane walked away from them and closer to the barn. “Enough risking our lives for a girl who’s gone! Enough living next to a barn full of things that are trying to kill us! Enough! Rick, it ain’t like it was before. Now, if y’all wanna live, if you wanna survive, you gotta fight for it! I’m talking about fighting, right here, right now!” With that Shane walked towards the barn, grabbing a pickaxe and trying to us it to open the door.

“Hershel take the poll.” Rick shouted at the older man desperately. “Hershel, take the dam poll.”

Rick continued to shout at the older man as Shane hit the barn door, the older man not listening as he stared down at the dead walker. “No Shane do not do this, brother!” Rick begged.

“Come on.” Shane shouted over at the others as he finally got the look undone.

“Don’t do it!” Glenn shouted over at Shane knowing what was going to happen if Shane did go through this.

“Please” Rick begged one last time as Shane finally got the barn open, banning loudly before he walked back, grabbing his gun once more and raising it up towards the doors.

“This is not the way!” Rick shouted even though he already knew it was too late to stop this. “Please!”

“Get behind me.” Lori said as she walked up to her nephew, not wanting Carl anywhere near this.

“Come on.” Shane said as the walkers walked towards the door, pushing is open and walking out.

Knowing it was too late to stop any of this everyone with a gun walked towards Shane shooting the walkers in the head.

“Maggie?” Glenn said looking over at the women who just nodded as him and Glenn moved forward to join the rest.

Rick watched in shock as Shane looked back at him shooting the walker he was still holding onto, before turning his attention back to the rest.

Carl made it past Lori running towards his dad. “Stay back!” Rick shouted at his son as Lori caught up with the boy, grabbing him, watching as his husband shot the last walker everyone lowering their guns a little as they started at the pile of walkers on the floor.

Rick felt himself want to walk away as he looked at what had happened, knowing that there was no way they were going to be allowed to stay here, knowing that they were somehow going to have to survive out there.

Daryl went to raise his gun again as the sound of yet another walker coming from the barn was heard, the gun quickly falling to his feet when Sophia walked out.

Everyone watching in shock as the little girl walked out of the barn, the little girl that was no longer human, moaning as she shuffled forward.

Carol ran forward tears filling her eyes as she shouted. “Sophia! Sophia!” Daryl grabbed the older women round the shoulder before she could walk to close to the walker, holding her as the older women cried, both of them falling to the floor. “Oh, Sophia!”

Rick felt his heat break as he watched the grieving mum cry and shout for her daughter, stepping forward as he grabbed his own gun, trying to block out the sound of his own son crying as he raised the gun.

“Don’t watch.” Lori told her nephew as she held the crying boy, knowing exactly what was going to happen and knowing that it wasn’t going to be something a kid should see.

Rick tried not to think about what he was about to do as he walked past Shane and right up to Sophia, watching as the little girl got into his sight before he pulled the trigger. Everyone’s heat braking just a little more as the little girl feel to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and i would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any please let me know in the comments so that I can fix them.


	8. Nebraska

Rick lowed his gun staring down at the body in front of him shock filling him as he realised what he had just done, what he had just been made to do.  
Turning around Rick tried not to look down at where Daryl was holding a crying Carol, knowing that if he did it would truly break him in that moment. 

“Don’t look.” Daryl said as he pulled Carol up moving her around so that she could no longer see her dead daughter before Carol broke away from him and with one last look ran off, the sound of her heartbroken cries following her.

Beth pulled away from Patricia walking forward, towards the pile of walker, pushing past Rick with tears when he tried to stop her and falling to the ground in front of a walker with a quit. “Mum, mum.”

And everyone watched their hearts a little broken as another person mourned the loss of a loved one. But as Beth’s cried of heartbreak quickly turned into panicked screams as the walker in her arms starting moving and groaning as it tried to get Beth.

Everyone was quick to move forward Rick, Daryl and Shane grabbing hold of Beth and trying to pull her away and T-dog tried to kill the walker with just his feet.  
Andrea was quick to run over at grab a shovel using it to kill the walker. 

Hershel quickly pulled his still crying daughter in for a hug, Jimmy walking over and trying to help comfort his girlfriend.

The Greens all took one last look at the scene around them before turning around and walking back towards the house, Beth still crying just as much as she had been.

“We’ve been out. We’ve been coming theses woods for her.” Shane shouted as he followed them, not caring that the family were obviously all grieving a hug loss. “And she was in there all along? Hey, you knew.”

“Leave us alone.” Maggie shouted at the older man.

“Hey Shane,” Rick said as he reached out to grab Shane who just slapped his hand away. “Just stop, man.”

“Get your hands off me.” Shane told Rick as he turned back to Hershel. “You knew and you kept it from us.”

“I didn’t know.” Hershel told the man even though he knew that Shane most likely wouldn’t believe him.

“That’s bullshit. I think you all knew.”

“We didn’t know.” Maggie told him her voice showing just her annoyed she was.

“Why was she there?” Shane asked still not believing them.

“You know, Otis, put those people in the barn.” Hershel said as little breathlessly as he continued to walk his daughter towards the house. “Maybe he found her and put her in there before he was killed.” Hershel let Patricia and Maggie take Beth into the house as he turned around to look at Shane. 

“And you expect me to believe that?” Shane asked as he shook his head. “What do I look like?”

Rick reached his hand out In front of Shane knowing his best friend was going to end up doing something stupid. “Hey, hey Shane.”

“I look like an idiot to you?” Shane asked as he tried to walk closer only to be push back by Rick. 

“I don’t care what you believe.” Hershel shouted at them completely done with having to deal with this group.

“Hey, everybody, just calm down.” Rick said as he held his arms out between the two men.

“Get him off my land!” Hershel told Rick.

“Let me tell you something, man.” Shane said as he continued to try and get closer to Hershel, Maggie walking down the stairs to try and help her father. “Hey.” Maggie said as she tied to push Shane away. “Don’t touch him!”

Shane finally seemed to get the hint as Glenn also walked forward to also try and pull him back, and Shane did walk back just a little still looking at Hershel like if he was given the right opportunity he would kill the older man. “Haven’t you done enough?” Maggie asked him before walked back up the stairs and over to his still crying sister, Hershel quick to follow his daughters. “I mean it. Off my land.” Hershel said before he walked into the house leaving the three men out there.

Glenn took one last look at Shane before he walked off, Rick walking closer to his friend. “What are you doing? Hey what are you doing?”

“Daryl almost died looking for her, Rick.” Shane pointed out as if Rick wasn’t already a where of that. “Any one of us could have. I’m going to tell you right now, that son of a bitch, he knew.”

“He didn’t know. He’s not like that.” Rick shock his head really believing that Hershel would have told them had he known. “He opened his home to us.”

“He put us all in danger, man. He kept a barn full of walkers.” Shane pointed out not believing for even a second that Hershel had their best interests at heart.

“So you just start an insurrection?” Rick asked him his anger for Shane building up. “Hand out guns and massacre his family?”

“His family’s dead, Rick.” Shane pointed out.

“Well, he, he doesn’t believe that. He thinks you just murdered them in cold blood.”

“No, man. I don’t care what he thinks.” Shane shock his head trying to keep his calm even as Rick got closer to him. “I don’t care what he thinks. Why would I?”

“I was handling it, brother, ok? I was handling it.” Rick sock his head anger spilling out of him.

“You had us out in those woods, looking for a little girl that every single one of us knew was dead.” Shane pointed his finger in Rick’s face. “That’s what you did. Rick, you’re just as delusional as that guy.” With one last shack of his head Shane started to walk away from Rick as he said. “You handling it, huh?”

************************************************

Rick walked up to where his husband was standing by the fence, looking over at were the dead pile of walkers were still outside the barn. 

“Hey.” Rick said softly even though he knew his husband had most likely already heard him approaching.

Daryl turned around to face his husband a little just giving Rick a small not in greeting. “She was in there the whole time.”

Rick nodded moving to lean against the fence. “You okay?”

“She was in there the whole time.” Daryl just repeated having absolutely no clue how he felt in that moment. “We were out looking for her and she was in the damn barn.”

“Hershel thinks Otis put her in there before his death. I believe him.” Rick told Daryl knowing that his husband was probably blaming the older man for not telling them. “She didn’t survive that long.”

“Not your fault.” Daryl turned round to face Rick knowing exactly were the other man’s head had gone. “I’m gonna go see Carol.”

“Yeah.” Rick nodded his head. “Make sure she’s okay.”

“Go see Carl.” Daryl told his husband before he went to walk away. “The only friend he had just died in front of him. I’ll go see him in a bit.”

Rick nodded before Daryl walked away from him and towards there little camp.

Daryl walked into the RV moving to sit down on the side, looking over at Carol as she stared out of the window.

Carol look away from the window to briefly look over at the younger man, who just stood there ready to be there for Carol when she needed him.

************************************

“I have to ask you.” Glenn said as he walked into the living room and behind where Maggie was standing. Maggie turned around to look at Glenn shaking her head a little. “Did you know she was in the barn? You know, maybe in same way this is for the best. At leave we know now and we can move on.”

“Move one?” Maggie asked him as Glenn walked a little closer to her.

“Yeah, it’s like it meant so much to everyone, finding her you know? And then.” Glenn trailed of a little insure of how to finish the sentence.

“So now you’ll just move on?” Maggie asked finding that hard to believe.

“If we can.” Glenn nodded knowing it wasn’t going to be easy but also knowing that eventually all of them would be able to move on. “I mean we’ve lost others. But this, this is Sophia. The whole group. This one was different.”

“So what happens now then?”

“We bury her with your step-mum and stepbrother.” Glenn told her moving to stand right in front of Maggie.

“And then?” Maggie asked all the emotions she as feeling evident in her voice.

Glenn reached his hands up placing them on either side of Maggie’s head as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I don’t know.”

**************************************

Carl looked away from where he had been staring over at the dead walkers and at his aunt. “I thought that I’d find her.”

“We all did.” Lori agreed.

“I mean, me, that I’d be the one.” Carl clarified as he started to fidget with his hands. “Like maybe she was hiding somewhere in a cave or a tree. She’s be safe and I’d find her and bring her back.”

Lori looked over at Carl for a second as Rick and Shane walked down to the barn.

Rick walked straight over to his son looking down and seeing how tired and worn out his son looked. “Dale?” Rick asked as he looked over at the older man. 

“Yeah?” Dale nodded as he looked away from where he had been staring at Shane and over to the three of them.

“Could you take Carl up to the house?” Rick asked him not wanting Carl to be around all this for any longer. “I want you to rest.” Rick told his son.

“Okay.” Carl nodded as he stood up following Dale off towards the house.

“Hey.” Rick said stopping his son again. “You dropped this.” He placed Carl’s hat on his head with a small smile. 

Once Carl had walked away Rick turned his attention to all the walkers on the floor, everything that happened that morning feeling like it had somehow happened a life time ago and just ten seconds ago all at the same time.

“Want us to start burying?” T-dog asked Rick snapping the older man out of his thoughts.

“We need a service.” Andrea pointed out. “Carlo would want that.”

“Yeah, we all want that.” T-dog agreed, everyone needing a bit of closer.

“Let’s.” Lori started as she walked over to them. “Let’s dig a grave for Sophia, Annette and Shawn. Over by those trees.” Lori pointed over to a cluster of trees over by the house. “And we’ll need a truck to move the bodies.”

“I’ll get the keys.” Jimmy nodded as he went to walk away.

“No, no. I got the truck.” Shane shock his head as walked off.

“And the others?” Jimmy asked pointing at all the other dead bodies on the floor. “That’s a lot of digging.”

“We bury the ones we love and burn the rest.” Andrea suggested everyone else just nodding sadly.

“Get to work.” Lori said as she pulled her brother aside a little. “What did Hershel say?”

Rick sighed looking down at his sister. “He wants us off the farm, or Shane at least.”

“That’s not a surprise.” Lori shock her head still not believing what her husband had done. “We’re lucky someone wasn’t killed. And all that gunfire more walkers could’ve hear it. What’s wrong?” Lori asked when she noticed the look on Rick’s face.

“She was in there the whole time.” Rick shock his head.

“And you did everything you could.”

“Yeah, I know.” Rick shock his head as he went to help with the bodies not wanting to get into everything with his sister right now.

*********************************

“You have something to day Dale?” Shane asked with a small grunt when he noticed Dale watching him. “Well, go ahead, maybe, Mr Moral Authority, huh.” Shane snickered a little. “You’re the, uh, you’re the voice of reason. Let me ask you something man.” Shane banged his hand on the side of the car as he pushed himself away walking over towards were Dale was standing. “What do you do, what do you do to keep this camp safe, huh? What do you do? What’d you, you fix up an RV. You babysit some guns. Well, you pointed one at my chest, right? But you just, you couldn’t pull that trigger, could you? If I’m such a danger, if I’m such a threat, what did you do to stop me, huh?” Shane stopped just in front of the older man using his arms to help make his point. “I smashed that barn open, I saved Carl. That’s me. That ain’t you. What ain’t Rick, that’s me.” With a shack of his head Shane turned back towards the car saying, “Tell you what, Dale. Next time I needed a, uh, radiator hose, I’ll give you a call, man.” Getting into the car Shane started it straight away driving away from the older man and back towards the barn.

****************************************

Lori knocked on the door to the RV walking up and looking between her brother-in-law and friend. “They’re ready.” She informed them, Carl didn’t turn her head away from what was in her hands, just shaking her head lightly. “Come on.”

“Why?” 

“Because that’s your little girl.” Daryl pointed out, not wanting the older women to regret not doing this. 

Carol finally looked away from her hands, instead looking up at Daryl with a small shack of her head. “That’s not my little girl. It’s some other thing.” Carol looked away from Daryl again, this time looking out the window. “My Sophia was alone in the woods. All this time, I thought, she didn’t cry herself to sleep. She didn’t go hungry. She didn’t try and find her way back. Sophia died a long time ago.” 

Lori looked between the pair not knowing what else there was for her to say or do before she walked back out of the RV.

“Going to this would help.” Daryl said as he pushed himself off of the counter and walking out of the RV, leaving Carol in there on her own.

*******

Daryl stood his son leaning against him as they all looked down at the grave that now help Sophia, trying to keep his emotions in so that he could be there for his son, for his husband.

**************************************

Daryl took his son back to the camp, wanting nothing more than to be alone right now but also knowing that Carl needed him more then he needed to be alone, so he walked them back to their tent and inside where he sat down on his bed Carl sitting down next to him.

“You’re allowed to be sad.” Carl said as he looked up at his dad, shocking Daryl.

“What?”

“I know you really wanted to find her.” Carl started as he fiddled with his fingers. “And I know your upset we didn’t. You don’t have to hide it Papa.”

Daryl looked down at the ten year old his love and pride for his son growing so much in that moments. “I’m not hiding it kid. You don’t have to either.”

“I don’t know how I feel.” Carl admitted.

“You don’t have to.” Daryl promised him as he placed his arm over Carl’s shoulder pulling the boy into his side. 

“I miss her.” Carl admitted after a couple minutes of the two of them sitting silence. “She was the only friend I had now.”

“You’ll get other friends.” Daryl assured him even though he wasn’t a hundred percent sure they would meet more people Carl’s age.

“We didn’t even know her for all that long.” Carl pointed out with a small sigh. “We haven’t really known anyone for that long.” Carl sighed away as he pulled away from his dad enough to look up at Daryl. “What’s going to happen to Uncle Shane?”

“I don’t know kid.”

**********************************

“A few more trips.” T-dog said as he and Andrea carried another body over to the van.

“We got lucky.” Andrea pointed out as they placed the body in the truck. “If that barn had any more, we couldn’t been overrun.”

T-dog grunted a little as he let go of the walker, walking away from the trunk a little. “Good thing Shane did what he did when he did.”

“You can’t tell me this was right.” Dale said as he pointed his arm in the direction of where there was still a small pile of walkers.

“It wasn’t.” Rick agreed with the older man as he walked up to the group. “It’ll coast us with Hershel.”

“He’s grieving. He’ll come around see we had no choice.” Andrea said hoping that she was right and that this wouldn’t end up costing them a safe place to stay. “Look, I shot too. This wasn’t all Shane.” She pointed out.

“Look, I got no qualms about it. Walkers in my backyard? Hm-um.”

“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have taken care of the problem, but creating a panic to…?” Dale shock his head.

“There’s no point arguing about it.” Lori interrupted him not wanting to listen to this argument for any longer. “It’s done. There’s nothing we can do about it now.”

T-dog nodded before he looked at Andrea. “Better get moving.”

Andrea nodded before she walked round to the side of the truck getting in with T-dog and leaving the other three there as they drove off.

******************************************

Maggie sighed as she walked up to Glenn, leaning one arm on the table beside her. “So if your group leaves, you wouldn’t stay?”

“I, I hadn’t really thought about it.” Glenn admitted having been avoiding thinking about what would happen if Hershel did decide to kick them out. “I mean, I, I didn’t know that…. Do, do you think this is really the time to discuss this, I mean?”

“Well, I’m not really feeling like that there’s a lot of time for anything.” Maggie admitted.

Glenn shock his head as he moved closer to Maggie. “NO, no, there is. There is. I mean. I, I, I, want.” Before Glenn got the chance to finish his sentence there was a clatter from in the kitchen and they both turned round to see Beth fall to the floor.

“Oh, my god.” Maggie shouted as the two of them ran over to her sister.

The two of them were quick to call for help, bringing the eighteen year old up to her room and lying her down on her bed.  
**  
“Sweetie, can you hear me?” Maggie asked as she sat close to her sister, looking over at the door when she heard someone walking in. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She might be in shock.” Lori suggested with a small shrug of her shoulders. “Where’s Hershel?”

“We can’t find him anywhere.” Glenn told her having gone out to look for the eldest Greene the minute they had safely gotten Beth into the bed.

Maggie took Beth’s hand into hers again as Lori walked out of the room.

*************

“Your stepmother’s thins?” Rick asked Maggie as he looked through one of the boxes of things in Hershel’s room.

“He was so sure she’d recover.” Maggie nodded as she leaned back against the chest of draws. “They’d just pick up where they left off.”

“Looks like he found an old friend.” Shane commented as he held up a flask that he had found resting on the side.

“That belonged to my grandfather, have it to dad when he died.” Maggie informed them as Shane chucked the flask over to Rick. 

Maggie walked over to Rick taking the flask from him once he had a chance to take a look at the thing, “I didn’t take Hershel for a drinker.” Rick told her as Maggie walked back over to where she had been leaning.

“NO, he gave it up the day I was born.” Maggie shock her head starting to worry about were her dad could be. “He didn’t even allow liquor in the house.”

Rick looked over at Lori almost immediately knowing where Hershel had gone, having had enough experience with Daryl’s father eelier on in their relationship. “What’s the barn in town?” 

“Hatland’s.” Maggie said without a second of hesitation. “He practically lived there in his drinking days.”

Rick nodded as he walked over to Maggie and Glenn. “Then that’s where I’ll find him.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen the place. I’ll take you.”

“Al right.” Rick nodded as he went for the door. “I’ll get the truck.”

“N,no.” Maggie said stopping Glenn when he went to follow Rick. 

“Well, it’s an easy run.” Glenn assured her knowing where Maggie was going with this. 

“Like the pharmacy.” Maggie pointed out.

“Hey, Maggie.” Rick said as he reached out to touch her arm, making Maggie turn around to look at him. “I’ll be bring him back.” With that Rick walked out the room, the sound of Glenn talking to Maggie following him. 

“Rick?” Lori said as she followed her brother out of the room. 

“So you seriously going to go after this guy.” Shane said as he followed his wife out of the room, making Rick turn around with a small sigh. “With everything that’s going on, huh?” 

“He’s right.” Lori nodded agreeing with her husband for the first time in a while.

“I do.” Rick nodded as he looked down at his feet. 

“He’s right.” Lori interrupted Rick before he could say anything else. “This is not the time to head off. Nor today. You don’t always have to bring.”

“I’m not arguing.” Rick cut his sister off not in the mood to listen to people questioning every decision he made. “It’s the least I can do for Hershel after we.”

“What?” Shane asked even though he knew exactly where Rick was going with this. “After we what?” Shane looked down at his friend before he pushed past the two of them walking away from them and out of the house.

Lori looked over at her brother, recognising the look on his face and knowing there was no way she was going to be able to change his mind. 

“You need Hershel for your baby.” Rick told Lori needing his sister to know that he was doing all this for his family. “I’m going after him.”

“Yeah.” Lori nodded as her brother walked away.

*******************************************

“I’m going on a run.” Rick said as he walked up to his husband. “We think Hershel had gone into town. To a bar.”

Daryl nodded as he looked quickly back into the tent where Carl was currently sitting. “Be careful.” Daryl told him.

Rick nodded taking one last look at his family before he walked away from their tent and over to the truck, leaning against it as he waited for Glenn to come out. 

Hearing noise coming from the house Rick looked up from the gun in his hands to see Glenn walking out of the house, Maggie quickly following behind him, obviously trying to get the man to stop.  
Rick looked back down at his cut when the two of them started kissing opening the driver’s door with one hand as he tried not to look over at them.

“You ready?” Rick asked when Glenn finally walked over to the truck.

“Yeah.” Glenn nodded walking round to the passenger side, even though he didn’t sound so sure.

Rick took one last look at Maggie before he got into the truck himself, starting it and driving away as Maggie walked back into the house.

**************************************

Daryl looked over at his son as he walked back into the tent with a small sigh as Carl spoke up. “He did what he had too.” 

“Who did?” Daryl asked a little confused as he walked back over to sit next to Carl.

“Dad.” Carl looked up from where he had been staring down at his hands. “When he shot Sophia, he did the right thing.”

“I know kid.” Daryl agreed, because no matter how much it hurt to see Sophia be shot he knew it was the right thing to do in the end. 

“He did the right thing shooting her like that. I would’ve done it too.” Carl admitted not realising how much what he was saying was hurting his dad. “If it would have stopped her from being one of them I would have done it.”

Daryl sighed again as he placed a hand on Carl’s shoulder no clue how he was supposed to respond to his ten year old son saying something like that.

*************************************

Shane looked up from where he had been washing his face as he heard a snap coming from in the trees. Brining his gun up to his side getting ready for anything that could come out.

Shane sighed a little inside when he noticed that it was just Carol walking back to camp, as he placed his gun back in the waist band of his jeans. 

“Hey.” Shane said lightly when Carol noticed him standing there. “Carol? Carol? He, hey, hey, hey.” Shane said when the older women paid him not attention. “Hey, are you all right?”

“Yeah.” Carol nodded even though they were both well aware that it was a lie.

“Come here.” Shane said as he placed is hand on her lower back and guided her over to the pump. Sitting her down beside it and helping her clean up the dirt covering her hands and lower arms.

“I want you to know that I’m real sorry for your girl.” Shane told her.

“Thank you.” Carol said briefly looking up at Shane before turning her eyes back down to her hands.

“When I opened that barn I had no idea. If I did.” Shane sighed as he tried to think of the best way to say this. “Everybody thinks that I’m a…. I was just trying to keep everybody safe. I have no idea she was in there. Understand?” Shane looked away from Carl as he finished going back to cleaning her hands in silence.

***************************************

“This place is going to hell.” Dale commented as he and Lori walked down the stairs of the porch.

“Yeah.” Lori agreed lightly with a small nod of her head. “I’m trying really hard to prevent that.”

“You won’t be able to.” Dale told her. “No there are people in this group that think what Shane did was justified.”

“I know you two can’t stand each other, but he did something that needed to be done.” Lori defended her husband, mostly agreeing with her husband although she did agree with that Shane could have gone about it in another way. 

“He’s dangerous.” Dale told the women hoping that she would listen to his worries.

“Yeah, he’s a hothead.” Lori agreed with a small nod knowing that sometimes Shane did do things without thinking it through properly but she also believed that deep down her husband was a good person.

“No, Lori, he’s dangerous.” Dale said as he stopped to look at her, Lori quickly stopping with him. “I think he killed Otis.”

“Otis was killed by walkers.” Lori corrected him.

Dale shock his head before he said softly, “He knew how to handle walkers. Otis was the one who was putting then in the barn.”

“You need to be really clear with me right now.” Lori said not wanting to believe that her husband could do something like that and needing a solid before she even considered what Dale was saying. “What are you saying?”

“I believe that, that Shane sacrificed Otis.” Dale told her. “I can’t prove it but, I,I,I,I think that he shot him and left him for bait, so that he could hey away.”

Lori shock her head not wanting to believe Dale. “Shane may be a hothead, but he’s not a murderer. And, and why would he kill somebody who’s trying to help?”

“I don’t know.” Dale admitted. “Maybe he was pinned down. He said, he said it. He all but threw it in my face. I’m telling you. I knew guys like him, and sooner or later he’s gonna kill somebody else.” With a small shack of his head Dale walked away leaving Lori alone with her thoughts.

************************************

“Maggi said she loves me.” Glenn finally said about ten minutes into the drive to the bar.

“Mm.” Rick nodded waiting for Glenn to say more as he took the chance to briefly look over at the other man.

Glenn looked over to see the face that Rick was giving him before he said. “She doesn’t mean it. I mean she can’t. I mean, well, she, she’s upset and confused. She’d probably feeling like...” Glenn trail off not sure what else to say.

“I think she’s smart enough to know what she’s feeling.” Rick pointed out.

“No, no.” Glenn laughed a little. “No, you know what? She wants to be in love, so she’s, she needs, something… to, to like, to hold onto.”

Rick looked over at the younger man with a small shack of his head. “Glenn, it’s pretty obvious to everyone that Maggie loves you, and not just because you’re one of the last men standing. So what’s the problem?”

“I didn’t say it back.” Glenn admitted.

“U-huh.” Rick nodded, knowing what it felt like to say I love you to someone and for them not to say it back straight away. 

“I’ve never had a women say that to me before except my mum, of course, and my sisters. But with Maggie, it’s different.” Glenn explained looking between the road in front of him and Rick sitting in the driver’s seat. “We barley know each other. What, what does she really know about me? Nothing. We’re practically strangers. But I, I don’t know what to do with it. I just stood there like a jerk.”

“Hey. Hey, this is a good thing.” Rick assured Glenn with a small smile. “Something we don’t get enough of these days. Enjoy it. And when we get back, return the favour. It’s not like she’s going anywhere.” Rick looked over at the other man as he pulled the car up in front of the bar. “You can’t be worse than Daryl, it took him three weeks to say it back.”

Glenn laughed just a little as the two of them got out of the car.

*****************************************

Andrea looked away from Beth and over to the door, noticing Lori standing a little awkwardly in the other room. She excused herself before she walked out of the room and other to the other women. “Her hearts racing, she’s burning up. We need Hershel. He’ll know what to do.”

Lori as she paced the room a little before an idea came in her head and she turned back to look at Andrea. “Will you check in on Carl for me?” She asked the other women, having been asked by Daryl not that long ago to keep an eye on the boy.

“Of course.” Andrea nodded before Lori smiled gratefully at her then walked out of the house.

Lori made her way across the farm and then down the field to where she knew Daryl liked to go when he needed some alone time.

“You need to go and find Rick, bring them back.” Lori said as soon as she was close enough or Daryl to hear her.

“Why should I?” Daryl asked as he looked away from where he looked up from where he was making an arrow. “Rick will find Hershel, come back. Don’t need me to go out looking. Not yet.”

“Beth’s in some kind of catatonic shock, we need Hershel now.” Lori informed him as she kneeled down on the floor so that she was at eye level with the other man. 

“You want him here now, go fetch him yourself.” Daryl told his sister-in-law the words coming out colder then he wanted them too. “I gotta better thing to do here.”

“What’s the matter with you?” Lori shouted at him surprised and shock by Daryl’s attitude. “Stop being so selfish and go find them.”

“Selfish?” Daryl shock his head unable to believe what Lori was saying. “I have been out there this whole time looking do that little girl. I took a bullet and an arrow in the process. My son in currently in sitting in our tent having just watched his father shot his only friend. I got better things to do here.”

“Please just go and look for them?” Lori almost begged him as Daryl pushed himself back up.

“I actually trust that Rick will come back with Hershel. If you have so little trust in him go looking for him yourself.” Daryl told her sliding the knife into its holder as he looked down at Lori. “I’m going to make my son is okay.”

***************************************

Rick kicked the door to the bar open, walking in with his gun held up Glenn right beside him. “Hershel.” 

“Who’s with you?” Hershel asked keeping his eyes on the glass in his hands.

“Glenn.” Rick said as he slowly walked forward a little, putting his gun back in the holster.

“Maggie sent him?” Hershel asked assuming that his daughter would have sent him the minute she worked out he was missing. 

Rick shock his head as he stopped not that far behind were Hershel was sitting. “He volunteered. He’s good like that. How many have you had?”

“Not enough.” Hershel sighed as he brought the glass up to his mouth, drinking what was left.

“Let’s finish this up back home.” Rick suggested softly as he closed the last of the distance between them, standing against the bar next to the older man. “Beth collapsed, is in some sort of state. Must be in shock. I think you are too.”

“Maggie’s with her?” Hershel asked as he looked away from the glass and over to Rick.

“Yeah.” Rick nodded. “But Beth need’s you.”

“What could I do?” Hershel asked with a shack of his head. “She need her mother. Or rather to mourn like she should’ve done weeks ago. I robbed her of that. I see that now.”

“You thought there was a cure.” Rick pointed out, understanding why Hershel would want to believe there was some kind of cure for this. “Can’t blame yourself for holding out for hope.”

“Hope?” Hershel asked in disbelief. “When I first saw you running across my field with your boy in your arms, I had little hope he would survive.”

“But he did.” Rick reminded the older man. 

“He did.” Hershel nodded turning his attention back down to the glass. “Even though we lost Otis. Shane made it back to the farm that day, and we saved your boy. That was the miracle that proved miracles do exist. I was a fool Rick, and you people saw that. May daughters deserve better than that?”

Rick wasn’t sure what to say as Hershel picked up the bottle, pouring himself another glass. Rick looked back at Glenn trying to see if the other man had anything to say.

**********************************************

Lori walked out of the house shutting the door behind her before she looked down at the gun in her hands, cheeking to make sure it was loaded before walking down to the waiting car and getting in. trying not to let herself worry about being out there all on her own and just focus on just finding Rick and Hershel.

Lori was able to make it about a quarter of the way into town before she had to cheek the map again. Bringing it up to rest against the steering wheel as she drove, Lori didn’t notice the walker up ahead of her until it was too late and as she swerved to miss it she hit a lump in the road at full speed casing her car to spin and flip in the air, hitting her head on the side of the car Lori’s world went black around her as the car landed on its side.

*******************************************

“So what do we do?” Glenn asked as he and Rick walked over to the door. “Just wait for him to pass out?”

“Just go.” Hershel said having overheard their conversation. “Just go.”

“I promised Maggie I’d bring you home safe.” Rick told Hershel having not plane on leaving without the older man.

Hershel chuckled a little as he shook his head. “Like you promised that little girl?”

“SO what’s your plan?” Rick asked as he walked back towards Hershel. “Finish the bottle? Drink yourself to death and leave your girls alone?”

Hershel placed the glass back on the table loudly before he turned round to look at the two men. “Stop telling me how to care for my family, my farm. You people are like a plague! I do the Christian thing, give you shelter and your destroy it all!!”

“The world was already in bad shape when we met.” Rick pointed out.

“And you take no responsibility! You’re supposed to be their leader!”

“Well I’m here now, aren’t I?” 

“Yea, yes, yes you are.” Hershel nodded with each word he said.

“Now come on. Your girls need you now more than ever.” Rick said to the older man hoping he had said enough to get through to the man.

“I didn’t want to believe you. You told me there was no cure, that these people were dead, not sick. I chose not to believe that. Shane shot Lou in the chest and she just kept coming, that’s when an ass I’d been, that Annette had been dead long ago and I was feeding a rotten corpse! That’s when I knew there was no hope. And when that little girl came out of the barn, the look on your face… I knew you knew it too. Right? There is no hope. And you know it now like I do. Don’t you? There is no hope for any of us.” With that Hershel turned back round in his chair picking the glass back up and taking a hug drink from it.

Rick shock his head as he walked back a little. “Look I’m done. I’m not doing that anymore.” Rick started pacing a little as he continued talking, letting out everything he had been feeling for a while. “You know what the truth is? Nothing had changed. Death is death. It’s always been there. Whether it’s from a heart attack, cancer, or a walker. What the different? You didn’t think it was hopeless before, did you? Now there are people back at home trying to hang on. They need us even if it’s just to give them a reason to go on even if we don’t believe it ourselves. You know what? This… this isn’t about what we believe anymore. It’s about them.” Just the thought of leaving Daryl and Carl alone in this new world felt like it was breaking his heart in two and Rick knew that he would do whatever it took so that he could stay here with them.

Hershel placed his glass back down on the table loudly as he stood up to look Rick straight in the face, interrupted from saying anything else as the door’s to the bar flow open both men looking round to see two men walking in.

Both men stopped when they noticed the other people 

“Son of a bitch. There alive.” One of the men said as he looked away from his friend and over at Rick. 

********************************************

Rick poured out some shots as he made sure to keep one eye on at least one of the two mysterious men that had walked in.

“I’m Dave.” One of the men introduced himself looking up at were Rick was standing in front of him. “And that scrawny-looking douche bag there is Tony.” 

“Eat me, Dave.” Tony shot back the small jab obviously something common between the two men.

“Hey, maybe someday I will.” Dave agreed with a small nod. “We met onI-95 coming out of Philly, damn shit-show that was.” 

“I’m Glenn. It’s nice to meet some new people.” Glenn told them trying to be nice to the two people even though not all of him was convinced they could be trusted.

“Rick Grimes.” Rick said when Dave turned back to look at him obviously wanting a name. 

“How about you pal?” Dave asked Hershel when the older man made no move to take one of the shots Rick was now handing out. “Have one?”

“I just quit.” Hershel informed them.

“You’ve got a unique sense of timing my friend.” Dave pointed out with a small laugh.

“His name’s Hershel.” Rick offered up for the older man trying to keep some kind of peace until he could work out what the two men wanted. “He lost people today, a lot of them.”

“I’m truly sorry to hear that.” Rick kept one eye on Dave as he talked trying to see If he could catch anything from his expression but not able to pick up on all that much. “To better day and new friends.” Dave offered as he held his shot up. “To our dead, they they be in a better place.” With that all four men took their shot. “Ah, Ah, not bad, huh? I got it off a cop.”

“I’m a cop.”

“This one was dead already.” Dave commented with a small shrug although Rick wasn’t sure if he believed the man.

“You fellas are a long way from Philadelphia.” Rick pointed out trying to change the subject.

“It feels like we’re a long way from anywhere.” Dave shot back.

Rick nodded knowing that a place like this would feel like the middle of nowhere to someone who had grown up in a city but also knowing that the man was just trying to find a way to not answer. ”Well, what drove you south?”

“Well, I can tell you it wasn’t the weather. I must’ve dropped 30 LBS. in sweat alone down here.” Dave shock his head with a small laugh Tony chiming in with an, “I wish.”  
“No, first it was DC I heard there might be some kind of refugee camp. But the roads were so jammed, we never even got close.” Tony shock his head as he pulled the gun out of the back of his pocket resting it down on the table. “We decided to get off the highways, into the sticks, keep haling ass. Every group we came across had a new rumour about a way out of this thing.”

“One guy told us there was the coast guard sitting in the gulf sending ferries to the islands.” Dave added as Rick eyed the gun on the table. 

“The lasts was a rail yard in Montgomery running trains to the middle of the country.” Dave shock his head as he paused in thought for a moment. “Kansas, Nebraska.”

“Nebraska?” Glenn asked a little confused.

“Low population, lots’ of guns.” Tony pointed out.

“Kind of makes sense.” Glenn agreed with a small nod.

“Ever been to Nebraska Kid? A reason they call ‘em the flyover states.” Tony laughed a little at his friends words. “How about you guys?”

“Fort Benning eventually.” Rick said after a second of hesitation.

“I hate to puss in your cornflakes, officer, but… we ran across a grunt who was stationed at Benning. He said the place was overrun by lamebrains.” 

Glenn started at Dave in shock for a second before he was finally able to ask, “Wait, Fort Benning is gone? Are you for real?”

“Sadly I am.” Dave nodded a little as he pushed himself up from the chair. “Oddly the truth is there is no way out of this mess. Just keep going from one pipe dream to the next, praying one of these mindless freaks doesn’t grab a hold of you when you sleep.”

“If you sleep.” Tony added as Dave grabbed his shot glass. “Yeah is doesn’t look like you guys are hinging your hats here. You holed up somewhere else?” Dave walked back over to the table refilling the two shot glasses.

“Not really.” Rick shock his head not rusting either of the men in the slightest and definitely not trusting them to know where they had been staying.

“Those your car’s out front?” Dave asked pointing towards the front of the pub.

“Yeah, why?”

“We’re living in ours. Those kinda empty, clean. Where’s all your gear?” Dave asked not believing what Rick had said.

Hershel shock his head having thought up a small lie they could tell. “We’re with a larger group out scouting, thought we could use a drink.” 

“A drink? Hershel, I thought you quit. Well we’re thinking of setting up around here. Is it…. Is it safe?” Dave asked as he looked around, sitting back down in his seat. 

“It can be although I have kille a couple walkers around here.” Glenn informed them.

“Walker? That what you call them?”

“Yeah.” Glenn nodded with a small chuckle.

Rick looked between the two men as they carried on talking about where they could stay around here most of their words blurring as thoughts of his family came into focus, the fear of what these two men could do if they ever found the farm if they ever found the two most important people in his life.

“Trailer park or something? A Farm?” As the last word left Dave’s mouth Rick felt fear fill him and he let his arm move behind him grabbing the gun currently tucked into his trousers.

“You got a farm?” Dave asked when he noticed the look on their faces. “Is it safe? It’s gotta be right? This farm is sounds pretty sweet, so listen Glenn…….”

“We’ve said enough.” Rick interrupted Dave as the man was about to ask Glenn another question.

“Well, hang on a second. Doesn’t this farm sound sweet Tony?”

“Yeah real sweet.” Tony agreed with a small nod.

“How about a little southern hospitality? We got some buddies back at the camp, been having a real hard time. I don’t see why you can’t make room for a few more we can pool our resources, our manpower.” Dave tried to convince them.

“Look, I’m sorry that’s not an option.” Rick shock his head not for even one second going to let them that near his family.

“I’m sorry we can’t.” Hershel agreed with a small shack of his head.

“This is bullshit.” Tony shouted as he pushed himself up from the chair, picking the gun up from the table as he did.

“Calm down.” Rick told him not wanting to do what he would have to if they didn’t.

“I’ll shoot you three asholes in the head and take your damn farm.” Tony threatened.

“You can’t stay.” Rick told them one last time as he pulled the gun up shooting both men before they got the chance to do anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> So sorry I wasn't able to post last week, I was away for birthday and didn't have access to my laptop. I am going back to college next week so I will have less time to write they I do right now, so I think I'm going to post everything other week from now on as I'm not sure if I will have enough time to finish a chapter in only a week. If I get a chapter finished earlier I will post it earlier (Always on a Wednesday though.)
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.
> 
> I would also love to know if there's anything in the show they would like to see changed in the serires. I'm trying to get a rough plan done for the series and I'm trying to work out what I will keep the same and what I will change. So if there's anything that happened in the show that you would really like to stil happen in the series and anything that happened in the show that you don't want to see in the series please let me know and I might end up using in the story. (I can't promise it will or won't happen in the series though.)


	9. Triggerfinger

Glenn and Hershel moved over to stand next to Rick, all three of them looking down at the dead body.

“Holy shit.” Glenn muttered as he starred down at the body.

Rick looked up and over at Glenn who was just behind him noticing the look on the younger man’s face and asking, “You all right?”

“Yeah.” Glenn nodded even though he wasn’t a hundred percent sure he was telling the truth.

“Hershel?” Rick asked looking over at the older man.

“Let’s head back.” Hershel told them as he turned away from the dead body. 

Rick was about to agree with the older man but the sound of a car pulling to stop near the pub stopped him as Rick looked over at the window seeing the lights and saying as quietly as he could. “Car, car. Get down.”

Both Glenn and Hershel looked over at the window both of them seeing the car lights and ducking down with Rick.

“Dave? Tony?” A man shouted from outside as they heard the sounds of someone walking on the decking outside. “They said over here?”

“Yeah.” Another man replied sounding a little confused.

“I’m telling you man, I heard a gunshot.” A third man said as the sound of them getting closer got even louder. 

“I saw roamers two streets over. Might be more around here.” The second man said and for a second Rick hoped that meant the three men were going to leave, although he knew deep down they weren’t.

“It’s hot. We gotta get out of here.” The first man said as the footsteps got to right outside the door.

“Dave! Tony!” The third man shouting earing an annoyed grunt and the first man saying, “Shut up, you idiot. You want attract ‘em? Just stick close. We’re gonna find ‘em.”

Rick moved around a little trying to stay as silent as he could while also staying out of sight of the men as he heard one of them start to open the door, the noise of a walker stopping them.

****************************************

Lori groaned as she came too, the car on its side and a sharp pain going through her side. Lori tried to move herself out of the car stopping as she let out another groan the pain getting worse with each movement. 

Lori stopped moving as fear started to creep into her, worry about being badly injured or having injured her unborn baby. The fear only growing when the sound of a walker grew closer to her.

“Shit.” Lori said when the sound of the walker only grew closer. Reaching over and trying to undo the seat belt but finding the thing stuck. Panic slowly grew as Lori continued to try and get herself out of the situation she had somehow gotten herself stuck in.

*****************************************

“They should have been back by now.” Andrea commented as she walked over to Shane.

“Yeah.” Shane nodded as he looked down at his watch. “They just got holed up somewhere. We’ll, we’ll head out first thing in the morning.” Shane cleared his throat a little as Carol placed a plate of food in front of him. “Thank you.” Shane looked over at his nephew noticing the worried look on the kids face. “Carl, I want you to keep your head up, okay? Your old man, he’s the toughest son of a…..”  
Before Shane could finish his sentence Patricia cut in with, “No cussing in the house.” Shane looked over at the older women for a second before he apologised.

“Lori, dinner.” Carol shouted as she walked into the dining room with two more plates.

“She’s not in there.” Maggie told Carol having just come from Beth’s room.

“Where is she?” Dale asked as he looked around a little bit of his worry clear in his voice.

“Carl, when’s the last time you saw your aunt?” Shane asked looked back down at the boy.

“This afternoon.” Carl said fear and panic clear in his voice.

“She was worried about Rick and Beth. Asked me to look in on Carl.”

“She went after them?” Dale asked having already pieced everything together in his head. 

“She didn’t say that.” Andrea shock her head not wanting to believe that Lori would do something so stupid.

“Nobody panic.” Shane told them as he pushed himself away from the table. “She’s gonna be around here somewhere.”

**********************************************

It took Lori awhile but eventually she was able to move out of her seat enough reaching over to grab her gun and aim roughly in the direction of the walker, letting off three shots before she finally hit it. Hearing the thing hit the floor Lori let out a small sigh of relief.

Lori slowly worked on getting herself out of the car as she prayed that would be the last walker she would come in contract with at least until she was safety out of the car.

**************************************************

“Why won’t they leave?” Glenn whispered quietly.

“Would you?” Hershel shot back just as quietly all three of them crouched on the floor hidden but also with a good sight of the door.

“We can’t sit here any longer.” Rick pointed out. “Let’s head out the back and make a run to the car.” Before Rick could tell them anymore of his plan a gun shot went off making all three jump just a little bit.

“What happened?” One of the men shouted, Rick having lost count on who was who out of the three of them.

“Roamers, I nailed ‘em.” The second man said as the sound of foots steps where heard once again getting closer to the door. “I cleared those building. You guys got this one?” 

“No.” As one of the men said that Rick could see as a shadow past under the door, stopping about halfway the person obviously having stopped just in front.

“Me neither.” The third man said. 

“Were looking for Dave and Tony and no on checks the damn bar?” Rick could hear the anger in the man’s voice and he looked over at Glenn and Hershel nervously before he slowly and quickly started to make his way closer to the door. Rick pushed the door shut as quietly as he could, taking a chance that he hoped paid off.

“What?” One of the men said and Rick cursed in his head. “Someone pushed it shut. There’s someone in there.” 

“Yo, is someone in there? Yo, if someone’s in there, we don’t want no trouble. We’re just looking for our friends.” The third man shouted and Rick looked back at the other two people in the room a small worried look on all of their faces. 

“What do we do?” The first man asked a lot quitter obviously talking to his friends.

“Bum rush the door?”

“No, we don’t know how many are in there.” The second man pointed out as Rick slowly made his way across the room. “Just relax. We don’t want any trouble! We’re just looking for our friends. Is something happened, tell us. This place is crawling with corpses. If you can help us not get killed. I’d appreciate it.” Rick continued to make his way towards where Dave’s gun was still resting on the table wanting more than one gun in case anything went wrong. “You’re bugging. I’m telling you nobody’s in there.” 

“Someone guard the door. If they’re in there, they might know where Dave and Tony are.” One of the men said as Rick grabbed the gun and walked back over to the door, not focusing on being too quit this time. 

“They drew on us!” Rick shouted once he was standing next to the door again.

Rick heard the other two men walk over to the door. “Dave and Tony in there? They alive?”

“No.” Rick shouted back knowing that lying would do none of them any good.

“They killed Dave and Tony.” The second man said as he turned back to his two friends.

“Come on man, let’s go.” The first man suggested and Rick hoped with everything he had that the other two people would listen and all three men would leave but also knowing that outcome with extremely un-likely.

“No, I’m not leaving. I’m not telling Jane. I’m not gonna go back and tell them that Dave and Tony got shot by some assholes in a bar.”

“Your friend drew on us!” Rick shouted standing as close to the door as he could. “They gave us no choice! I’m sure we’ve all lost enough people, done things we wish we didn’t have to. But it’s like that now. You know that so let’s just chalk this up to what it was, wrong place, wrong.” Before Rick got the chance to finish his sentence a gun shot went off from outside the pub and Rick turned back around to Hershel and Glenn shouting. “Get outta here! Go.”

***************************************

Lori slowly made her way out of the car and down the road keeping an eye out for any walkers that could possibly been around her. Trying not to let out too many noises of pain, not wanting to attract any more walkers knowing that she wasn’t in any condition to fight them off.

***************************************

“We can’t find Lori and the others aren’t back yet either.” Carol said as she walked up to Daryl.

“She go off to find them?” Daryl asked not looking up at the older women. “Told her not too.”

“What?” Carol asked a little confused as she moved to sit down next to him. “You knew she was going out looking for them?”

“She wanted me to go.” Daryl shrugged his shoulders a little. “I told her I was done doing stuff like that.” Daryl didn’t mean to be quite as rude as he was being but it all come out before he could stop them and as he looked up at Carol and saw the red around her eyes, the anger and hurt and regret came back full force.

“You didn’t say anything?” Carl asked him with a small shack of her head finding all of this hard to believe. “Don’t do this. Please don’t do this.” 

“Do what?” Daryl asked even though he knew exactly what the older women was talking about.

“I’ve already lost my girl, I don’t want to lose anymore.” 

“That wasn’t my problem either.” Daryl muttered even though he regretted it almost straight away as he watched Carol get back off and walk away with a small sad look on her face and Daryl was left feeling even more guilty then he already did.

********************************************

“She’s not in the barn.” Shane said as he walked back up to where the group where standing around outside the house.

“I checked the yards.” T-dog shock his head not having had any luck himself.

“Well, where is she?” Carl asked really worried about both his aunt and dad.

“She asked Daryl to into town.” Carol sighed as she looked away from Carl, “Must’ve decided to go herself.”

Andrea looked down at Carl as he made a small noise seeing the tears building up in his eyes she placed a hand on his shoulder before guiding him in the direction she knew Daryl was.

“Did you know about this?” Shane asked Dale once Carl was far enough away that he couldn’t hear anger clear in the man’s voice.

“No.” Dale shock his head.

“Look, just.” Shane took a deep breath already pretty sure he knew what the answer was.

“I don’t know.”

******************************************

“Hey!” Rick shouted as he watched Glenn and Hershel slowly make their way to the back of the pub. “We all know this is not gonna end well! There’s nothing in it for any of us! You guys just ……. Just back off, no one else gets hurt!”

None of the three men answered Rick with words instead he just heard a few more guns shots go off and glass in the pub break.

Rick looked back in time to see Glenn fall down to the floor. “Glenn! Glenn!” 

“I. I’m alright.” Glenn promised. “I’m all right.”

Rick ducked down as another shot went off before he quickly made his way to where they had just made it through the back door. “I’ll hold ‘em here. You cover Glenn. See if you can make it to your car. Tell him…. Tell him to pull up back. We’ll run for it, get the hell out.”

“You want me to cover Glenn?” Hershel asked needing to make sure he had heard Rick right over all of the loud sounds.

Rick nodded a little as he looked back towards the door letting out a small sigh of relief when he noticed the door hadn’t been opened. “You missed all that gun training. It couldn’t come in handy about now.”

“Nah, I can shoot. Just don’t like to.” Hershel assured him as he took on of the guns off of Rick.

Rick nodded at the older man before he made his way back into the pub and Hershel made his way the rest of the way over to Glenn. “Rick want you to try for the car.”

“Try?” Glenn asked.

“You’ll try and succeed. I’ll cover.”

*********************************

“Papa.” Carl said as he and Andrea walked up to Daryl.

“Carl.” Daryl said a little surprised as he looked round at his son, Carl walking straight over to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Dad and Aunt Lori are still gone.” Carl told him as Daryl pulled him in for a hug.

Daryl gave Andrea a small thankful smile over his son’s shoulder before she walked away leaving the father and son on their own.

“They’re gonna be fine.” Daryl assured his son softly. “Your dad and Aunt Lori are gonna make it back just fine.”

“You said that about Sophia.” Carl pointed out.

“I know I did.” Daryl nodded as he pulled away from his son enough to look Carl in the face. “I know I did. But your dad is going to come back, I know he is okay.”

“He came back last time.” Carl pointed out in a small voice.

“He did.” Daryl nodded as he pulled the two of them down to sit on the small log. “He came back last time and he’s going to come back this time.”

Carl nodded a little as he let Daryl pull him into his side taking all the comfort from his dad that he could.

*****************************************

“What happened?” Rick asked Hershel in a panic when he heard gunshots come from the ally Glenn was down. 

“He fire. Must’ve hit Glenn.” Hershel explained. “He’s behind the dumpster. Doesn’t look like he’s moving.”

Rick nodded before he shared one last look with Hershel and he ran out of the back door and over towards the dumpster Glenn was hiding behind. “Are you hurt? Are you hurt?”

“No. no.” Glenn shock his head looking extremely worried.

“It’s alright.” Rick tried to assure him even though Glenn could hear the small amount of worry in the other man’s voice. “The car’s right there.” 

Glenn followed were Rick was pointing and nodded a little, “Okay.”

“Were almost home.” Rick assured him as he looked around trying to see if it was safe to make a run for it. “You good?”

“I’m good.” Glenn assured him.

Rick looked around again not seeing anyone or anything in his way. “Let’s go.” 

Glenn nodded before he started to follow Rick forward the two of them moving slower at first before they started to speed up. “Get back!” Rick shouted when the sound of a gunshot went off and another one with a bullet flying just past him.

Rick shot back as he and Glenn moved back to hid behind one of the bins. 

“Let’s get out of here!” One of the men shouted. “Roamers all over the place! Hurry up! We gotta get out of here!”

“What about Sean?”

“They shot him. We gotta go. Roamer are everywhere.”

“We’re leaving!” 

“Jump!” At the words Rick looked around the bin noticing someone standing on top of a roof and about to jump.

“Hurry up! Jump already!” 

Rick watched as the man jumped from the building missing whatever he was aiming for a hitting the fence bellow. 

“Dude didn’t make it.” Glenn said in shock as he watched the scene play out from just next to Rick.

“Help me! Help me!” The man shouted as his friends made their way to leave.

“I’ve gotta go. I’ve gotta go. I’m sorry!”

“No, no, don’t leave! Help me! No! No!”

Rick and Glenn watched as the man’s friend ran back to his car quickly driving away and leaving the poor man stick on the top of a fence groaning and screaming in pain. “Get Hershel.” 

“Help!” The man screamed as Glenn made his way back into the building to get Hershel and Rick started making his way towards him. “Help! Help me! No! No!”

“Her, Hershel?” Glenn asked when he finally made it back to the pub. “Hershel?”

“The gunfire must have attracted more walkers. Where Rick?” Hershel asked as he slowly and carefully made his way over to the other man.

“He, he ran across.” Glenn wasn’t sure why he was still so nervous he just know that he was terrified something else was going to happen and one of them wasn’t going to make it back to the farm. 

“Well, we can’t leave without him.” Hershel pointed out as the two of them made their way out of the pub. “Rick!”

“Rick!” Glenn shouted as the pair ran across the green to were Rick was standing just beneath were the man had fallen and now that he was standing right next to him Glenn realised that whoever it was, they were younger then him.

“We have to go now.” Hershel pointed out as he made sure he kept a nervous look at what was going on around then.

“No!” The boy shouted trying to move a little and letting out another scream of pain.

“Shh!” Rick told him knowing that the noise was just going to attract more walkers.

“I’m sorry, son. We have to go.” Hershel wasn’t sure who he was talking too exactly when he said that he just knew that everyone around him needed to hear it.

“No, no, don’t leave me please.” The boy begged again.

“We have to go.” Hershel repeated as he watched some of the walkers get to close for comfort.

“We can’t.” Rick shock his head as he watched the boy scream in pain again.

“He was just shooting at us.” Glenn pointed out unable to believe what he was hearing.

“He’s a kid.” Rick pointed out.

“Please help me.” The kid begged again not moving even a little as he stared over at all three of them.

“He’s a kid, we can’t just leave him.” 

“This place is crawling with walkers.” Glenn pointed out as he looked behind him seeing even more walkers then he had just ten seconds ago. 

“We can’t leave him!” Rick almost shouted, needing to get this threw to both Glenn and Hershel that he wasn’t going to leave the kid here to die on his own.

Hershel shock his head a little as he moved forward to get a better look at the kid’s leg and were the bar had gone through. “The fence went clean through. There’s no way we can get the leg off in one piece.”

The boy moved a little at Hershel’s words letting out another scream of pain when the movement caused the fence to move in his leg. “Shut up!” Rick shouted up at him knowing that it would just attract more walkers. “Shut up or I will shoot you!”

Rick words seemed to the job and the kid stopped screaming, the tears still coming in full force though. “That may be the answer. We’re not gonna get that leg off without tearing the muscle to shreds. He certainly can’t run and he may bleed out.”

“Shut up.” Glenn said when the boy screamed a little again.

“Maybe we should put him down.” Hershel hated even making the suggested but he wanted to give the three of them the best possible chance to make it back to the farm as he possibly could and he knew that would mean the boy couldn’t come with them. “I don’t wanna see any more killing, but this is cruel.”

“Can’t we just take the leg off?” the last thing Glenn wanted to see right now was another person killed.

Rick looked from the boy to Glenn before he nodded a little and asked, “That hatchet still in the car?”

“No, no, don’t, don’t, don’t cut of my leg.” The boy begged as he made to much noise for any of their licking. "Please, please, not my leg.”

Rick ignore the screaming boy as he ran over to the car getting the hatchet as quickly as he could and running straight back to the small group. “Will this cut through the bone?”

Hershel nodded as he took the hatchet from Rick. “I’ll have to sever the ligaments below the kneecap, cut above the tibia. He’s going to lose his lower leg.”

“No, don’t. No” The kid shouted and all three men could hear how much the worry and panic in his voice had gone up since they started to consider this.

“When we get clear of here, we’re gonna have to find some tinder, cauterize the wound so that he doesn’t bleed out.”

“All right, no choice. Hurry up.” Rick told him worried that one of them would chicken out if they waited too long, and also worried that if they waited too long they would be overwhelmed by zombies and he would never make it back to his family.

“Oh god, Oh god. No!”

“Hand me that stick.” Hershel told Glenn as he pointed down to one not that far away from them. 

Glenn did as he was asked quickly grabbing the stick and handing it to Hershel who took the stick and placed it in the kid’s mouth despite his protests. 

“Keep watch.” Rick told Glenn before he walked over to help Hershel.

Hershel instructed Rick to hold the kids down at he started to rip his jeans trying to get the best look at the leg as he possibly could.

“Guy’s walkers!” Glenn shouted about a minute later when he noticed that not only were the ones already out in the field getting closer but a whole new group of the things had walked round the side of a building and over towards all the noise, which happened to be them. “Hurry up!”

“Shut up!” Rick told him as he turned round to look at the problem. “They’re everywhere. Hershel, how we doing over there?”

“I need more hands!” Hershel admitted loudly trying to gain Glenn’s attention. “Easy easy.”

“No, don’t don’t don’t don’t cut my leg off please.” The boy begged again his words a little muffled around the stick.

“Come on, we gotta go! I’m almost out of ammo!” Glenn informed them as he looked down at the clip of the gun knowing that he was going to have to start shooting soon. “We don’t have much time! Come on, we’ve gotta go!”

“Can’t hold ‘em off! Hershel, do it now!” Rick shouted at the older man. “Come on, Hershel.”

“There is no time.” Hershel admitted as he walked away from the boy a little.

“Please don’t leave me!” The boy shouted over and over again.

Rick and Hershel shared a look over the boy’s leg both of them knowing what they were going to have to do.

****************************************

Shane sighed as he started the car, a mixture of worry and annoyance filling him as he started driving down the road in search of his wife hoping that it wouldn’t take too long to find her.

Shane’s wish came true not a minute later when he saw his wife stumbling down the road ahead of him and he quickly stopped the car, turned it off and got out of the car. Running over to his wife he couldn’t help but feel a little bit relived that she was fine but also annoyed and even a little bit angry that she would risk going out on her own anyway.

“What happened?” Shane asked as he stopped just in front of his wife.

“Flipped my car.” Lori sighed as she let herself stop walking. 

“You all right?” Shane asked his worry for Lori overpowering his anger at her, for the moment at least.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Lori nodded hoping that she was right and that the accident hadn’t caused any series injuries.

“What happened with the car?” Shane asked knowing that his wife was a good driver and that if she had crashed something else must have happened.

“Looked down at the map and hit a walker.” Lori admitted a little ashamed that she had ever done that.

“Next time stay put, you won’t need a map.” Shane sighed a little as he took a good look at his wife. “Come on, I gotta get you back.”

“No, I was only coming back to get another car. We gotta find Rick and Glenn.”

“He’s back.” Shane lied knowing that they weren’t all that far from the farm and that he wouldn’t be able to keep this lie up for very long but also knowing that he needed to get her back. “They’re all back. They’re all safe and sound.”

“Really?” Lori asked not sure if she could believe him.

“Yeah.” Shane nodded not even feeling a little bad about the lie.

****************************************

“What are you doing?” Daryl asked as he finally looked up from his sleeping son to were Carol had been standing just out of eyes sight for the last couple of minutes.

“Keeping an eye on you.” Carol told him once she had gotten over the shock of him knowing she had been there.

“Ain’t you a peach?” Daryl shock his head as he turned away from Carol who was now walking up to him.

“I’m not gonna let you pull away.” Carol told him with a shack of her head. “You’ve earned your place here.”

“If you spent half your time minding your daughter’s business instead of sticking your nose in everybody else’s, she’d still be alive.” Daryl felt bad almost as soon as he said it. He had seen in the last two months just how much Carol cared about her daughter and just how much of a great mum the women was but once the words were out of his mouth Daryl couldn’t seem to make himself take them back, couldn’t make himself apologize. 

“Go ahead.” Carol told him having been able to see just how much he had been bottling up and wanting him to let all of it out before he ended up doing any damage to himself.

“Go ahead what?” Daryl asked a little too loudly, quickly quietening his voice when he felt Carl stir in his sleep. “Just leave me alone. I don’t need your help, I don’t need you standing right beside me twenty four seven. You’re a real piece of work lady, you know that.” Daryl shock his head as he turned away from Carol. “You don’t know Jack. Just leave me the fuck alone.”

Carol looked over at Daryl, seeing that there was nothing she would be able to do when he was in a mood like this she let out a sigh and slowly turned away from the pair and walked back towards the house.

“Papa, you okay?” Carl asked a little sleepily as he looked up at Daryl with half open eyes.

“I’m fine buddy.” Daryl assured him as he placed his hand on Carl’s head. “Go back to sleep. I’ll wake you up when your dad’s back.” 

**********************************

“Oh my god.” Andrea said in shock as Lori got out of the car. “Are you alight? What happened?”

“I was in an accident. I’m fine, I’m fine.” Lori assured her as she went to walk past Andrea and up the stairs to the house. “Where’s Rick? They’re not back?” Lori asked when she noticed the confused look on her face turning back round to look at Shane. “Where are they?”

“Look, I had to get you back here.” Shane started to explain only to be cut off by Lori shouting. “You asshole.”

“Lori.” Shane sighed as he walked up closer to his wife. “Lori.”

“He’s my brother.” Lori shock her head. “You’re my husband.”

“Lori, I will go after him. I will find him.” Shane promised although he didn’t have any intention of going out again until morning. “I had to get you back here. I gotta look after you and the baby, I’ve gotta make sure the baby’s all right. Okay?”

“I can’t believe you Shane.” Lori shock her head with a sigh as she turned back away from her husband and started to walk up the stairs.

“Come on. Let’s make sure you’re all right.” Dale said once she was up the top as he led her into the house.

Carl looked over at his dad as Lori was led into the house both of them having overheard the argument. “Go on.” Daryl told him pushing his son lightly towards the house before the boy took off running towards his aunt.

“You’re having a baby.” Carl said happily once he had caught up to the rest of the group. 

“I’m having a baby.” Lori confirmed with a small nod. 

“I want to see dad’s face when you tell him.” Carl smiled as he took a seat next to Lori on the sofa.

“Your dad already knows bud.” Lori admitted with a small almost sad smile. “Shane and I were just waiting on the best time to tell everyone else.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Carl asked the excitement he was feeling clear as day as Daryl walked into the house at a much slower pace than his son had.

“Well, we won’t know until it’s born.” Lori told him with a small laugh. “Your dad’s didn’t find out till you were born.”

“Really?” Carl asked looking between his aunt and dad for conformation.

“Yeah you have to wait a little while bud.” Daryl agreed with a small nod.

“I have an idea for a name if it’s a girl.” Carl told his aunt happily. “I’m finally getting a cousin.”

“Hey, dude.” Shane said softly as he walked into the house. “I didn’t know you heard.”

“Big cousin Carl.” Carl turned around to face Shane the smile still bright on his face. “That’s pretty cool right?”

“I say that’s very cool.” Shane nodded with a small laugh before he looked away from his nephew and over to his wife. “Can we talk for a sec, alone?”

“How about a little later after she’s had some rest.” Andrea suggested not wanting to stress Lori any more.

“I had to get you back here. You wouldn’t have come otherwise.” Shane sighed as he ran a hand over his face. “How about you… how about you just hear me out please?”

Lori nodded at everyone else in the room before she slowly pushed herself up from the sofa and followed her husband out of the house. 

“Okay, Lori is was a lie.” Shane admitted once the two of them were standing next to the fence looking out across the field. “It was a little while lie. But I think that… I think you oughta be thinking about how lucky we were that our baby is safe.” 

“You can’t seem to stop lying.” Lori shouted at him as she turned to face Shane. “My brother’s dead in some hospital room.”

“Oh, when are you gonna.” Shane interrupted her with a shack of his head. “When are you gonna stop throwing that I my face, huh? I thought that he was…. The pint here, Lori is that you cannot keep running off like that. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that we needed Rick to help keep everyone safe.” Lori admitted having started to doubt her husband’s ability in keeping their whole group alive.

“Rick?” Shane asked with a scoff and a shake of his head. “I keep you safe, not Rick.”

“Like you did with Otis?” Lori asked, able to see she had hit a nerve almost straight away. “What happened that night? You haven’t been the same since.” She left off the fact that her husband hadn’t seemed like her husband for years now, only focusing on how he had seemed to change so much more after that night.

“You wanna know what happened with Otis?” Shane asked his voice almost a wispier. “What happened with Otis happened because I love you. I love you and I love Carl.”

“Carl is not our kid.” Lori reminded him. “You did not need to go out and kill someone for him. You are his uncle and you love him, he is family. But he’s Rick and Daryl’s son not ours. You do not get to us saving Carl as an icsquse for what you did.”

“It’s not. I did to save him Lori. No one else was willing to do it so I did.” Shane shock his head not believing what his wife was saying. “I did it because I was the only one protecting that boy.”

“Rick and Daryl will do anything for their son. You know that.” Lori shock her head, her voice starting to rise again. “They love that boy more than anything in the world and it is there job to protect him.”

“That’s why he was shot?” Shane asked with a shack of his head. “That’s why he spent most of the last two months with us rather than with his dads.”

“You’re the one that told us Rick was dead, you’re the one that let him think that.” Lori accused him as she pointed a finger in his direction. “And I told Daryl we would watch Carl. His husband had died he needed a bit of time. You need to leave this Shane. You are pushing your family away and it is not going to end well for you.” Lori threatened before she turned away from her husband and walked back into the house.

*******************************************

“How is she?” Andrea asked as she walked into Beth’s room looking down at the girl in her bed.

“Dehydrated. I’ll set up an IV. Best I can do without Hershel.” Patricia sighed as she walked over to get what she needed wishing more than anything that the older man was here with them and that she didn’t have to deal with all of this on her own.

“Hey.” Maggie smiled up at Andrea from her seat beside Beth, like she had just noticed the other women was in the room.

“Can I get you anything?” Andrea asked wanting to be of any help.

“Nah, I just wish my dad was here.” Maggie admitted with a huge sigh as she looked back down at her sister. “He would know what to do.”

“She’ll be okay. You just need to be strong for her.” Andrea pointed out as she took the seat on the other side of the bed to Maggie.

“I was just reminding her…” Maggie looked back up at Andrea before she shook her head. “Never mind.”

“No no. I’d love to hear it.” Andrea assured Maggie willing to listen to what ever story Maggie was going to tell if he helped the younger women even a little.

“My dad would die if he heard this.” Maggie warned Andrea hoping it would enough to make the older women keep in between them. “My first summer back from collage, I drove home, dumped my stuff off, went straight out to the stables for a ride. My family comes back from church and Beth grabs my things and starts unpacking my stuff upstairs.” 

“That’s sweet.” Andrea smiled her mind wondering off to think of her own little sister.

“Yeah, until this one here starts rifling through my backpack. She finds this little plastic container with theses pick and green candies inside. She didn’t even know I was on the pill. She freaked out by the idea of me, boys and sex so she ran outside and chicks them in the duck pond. And I ride up, see this, I’m screaming, she’s crying and Shawn runs outside. Thinks one of us is drowning. Soon as he figures out what’s going on, the jerk busts out laughing so loud that my horse reads up and gets mud all over the three of us. My dad comes out, what the heck is going on out here, and she turned around, bats her eyelids and says, we’re just swimming daddy, in her Sunday dress, al covered in snot and mud.” Maggie laughed with a small shack of her head the story still funny to her even this day.

“Rick and Glenn will get your dad back.” Andrea assured Maggie when the women went quite again.

“Glenn’s a good guy.” Maggie pointed out.

“Yeah he is.” Andrea agreed with a small nod.

******************************************** 

Carl looks up when he hears the sound of a car approaching, quickly getting up from the sofa and running out of the house he reaches the bottom of the stairs just as Rick is getting out of the passenger side of the car.

“Dad!” Carl shouted getting ready to go run over to him before a hand is placed on his shoulder and he looks up to see Daryl trying to gently lead him back into the house.

“Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery.” Hershel shouted as he and Rick carried the kid out of the car.

“Are you hurt?” Daryl asked his husband as Rick and Hershel walked past him and Carl.

“No.” Rick assured him with a small shack of his head.

“Who the hell is that?” T-dog asked pointing to the man in Rick and Hershel’s arms.

“That’s Randall.” Glenn said as he got out of the car and walked over to take Randel from Rick.

“We couldn’t just leave him behind.” Rick explained as he turned back to look at the group. “He wouldn’t bled out, if he lived that long.”

“It’s gotten bed in town.” Glenn told them before he and Hershel continued to walk towards the shed.

“What do we do with him?” Andrea asked as she looked around at everyone else. “Can we trust him?”

“I don’t know.” Rick admitted with a sigh. “I think we need to wait to see Hershel can actually save him before we talk about this.”

Andrea and T-dog nodded both of them agreeing that it would do them no good to argue if they didn’t even know if Randell was going to survive or not.

*********************************************

“I repaired his calf muscle as best I can.” Hershel started as they all stood or seat around the living room, the dread conversation about what to do with Randell finally happening. “But he’ll probably have nerve damage. Won’t be on his feet for at least a week.”

“When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road send him on his way.” Rick told all of them hoping that no one would put up too much off a fuss.

“Isn’t that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” 

“He’ll have a fighting chance. Best we can give him.” Rick pointed out with a small shrug of his shoulders trying not to let himself think about what will be waiting for the kid when they leave him out there.

“Just gonna let him go?” Shane shock his head for what felt like the hundredth time since Rick found them all wondering what the hell was coming out of his friend’s mouth. “He knew where we are.”

“He didn’t see anything driving up here, he was blindfolded the whole way and he will be when we leave him. He’s not a threat.” Rick assured Shane.

“Not a threat? How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage, but they just ain’t gonna come looking?” Shane asked with a shack of his head shocked someone could be that naive.

“They left him for dead.” Rick reminded him. “No one is looking for him.”

“We should still post guard.” T-dog pointed out.

“He’s out cold right now, will be for hours.” Hershel informed them.

“You know what?” Shane asked a small manic tone to his voice. “I’m gonna get him some flowers and candy. Look at this, folks we back in fantasyland.”

Hershel turned around to face the younger man pointing a finger at him as he said, “You know, we haven’t even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make it perfectly clear for you, once and for all. This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So do us a favour. Keep your mouth shut.”

Rick sighed before he moved forward to stand in front of Shane. “We’re not gonna do anything about it today. Let’s just cool off. Come back to this in the morning.”

**************************************

“Can I talk to you?” Maggie asked a little unsure as she walked up to Glenn. “What’s going on with you?”

Glenn sighed with a small shack of his head. “Your dad saved my life today. And Rick saved us both.” He sighed again as he looked up from the floor and over to Maggie. “And I, I froze.”

“Well you were being shot at.” Maggie pointed out softly.

“I know, but….” Glenn trailed off not sure what else he could say.

Maggie closed the gap between them and placed her hand on Glenn’s shoulders. “You don’t have anything to prove.”

“All I’ve done, then this… okay.” Glenn could hear himself rambling not making all that much sense but he needed to get everything he was feeling out and this was the only way he knew how. “It’s because of what you said.”

“That I love you?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah. A bullet hit the wall behind me and I, I thought of you… losing me, hurting. And I could take it.” Glenn shock his head as he thought not to let his eyes travel down to the ground. “So I hid to stay alive.”

“Glenn.” Maggie said softly not sure how to reply. 

“No, no, no. no you don’t get it. Rick, your dad… they were counting on me and I, I only thought of myself.” Glenn shock his head as he tried to shack off Maggie’s hands. “Rick and Hershel are dads. Rick has a ten year old son. And when we were being shot at I thought of myself.” With that Glenn shock his head one more time before he walked off leaving Maggie on her own.

***************************************

“Has she eaten?” Hershel asked as Maggie walked into Beth’s room. “I’ll give her a sedative… stop her body from working too hard.”

“You were drinking.” Maggie pointed out.

“That was the least of my worries.” Hershel shot back not wanting to talk about the colossal mistake he had made that day. 

Maggie shock her head not finished with this conversation. “You left and I didn’t know what to do!”

**************************************

“Want me to take watch?” Andrea asked as she walked up to were Shane was passing up and down in front of the barn.

Shane sighed as he said, “Yeah, in a few hours. I’m gonna take the graveyard.”

“And then what?” Andrea asked with a small shack of her head. “We just send him on his merry way?”

“According to Rick.” Shane nodded with a small scoff. “And Hershel.”

“I he finds his people and leads them here, we’ll have a war on our hands.” Andrea pointed out.

“You know you’re preaching to the choir girl.” Shane agreed with her relived that at least one person was on his side.

“You ever consider a lighter touch?” Andrea asked understanding why people where finding it hard to listen to Shane. “Abandoning the search for Sophia, taking out the walkers in the barn, lying to Lori today, those were all right calls, it’s your presentation that leaves something to be desired. Try being a bit nicer.”

“Dale send you?” Shane asked with a shack of his head.

Andrea shock her head trying not to let herself feel offended. “I see you pushing everyone away. For what? They need you.”

“Huh, I’ll always be the odd man out, the same as you.” 

“I’ve made my peace.” Andrea shrugged.

“Have you?” Shane asked not believing her for one second. “The way I see it, you and me, we. We’re treated the same way. Everyone’s always trying to take the gun out of your hand. These folks. They want to play house. They wanna pretend that Rick and Hershel…… They know what they’re doing lemme tell you something... There bound to get us all killed.”

“Then we have to stop them.” Andrea pointed out.

Shane shock his head with a small laugh wishing things would be that easy. “They don’t listen. They’re gonna give this kid a care package. They’re gonna send him on his way. And you’re right, that’s gonna bring on a war or something worse, and were just gonna… we’re just gonna sit here and wait for it. But you and me we... We’re the only ones who see it coming. I should’ve left with you when I had the chance.” Shane leaned down going to kiss Andrea when the younger women placed a hand on her chest and walked away a little.

“We can’t.” Andrea shock her head. “I’m on your side Shane but we can’t sleep together again. You’re married and your wife is pregnant.”

*********************************************

“Come here.” Daryl said when he saw Rick struggling to get his boot’s off.

Rick sighed as he moved to sit next to Daryl letting his husband pull his boots off. “Thank you.”

Daryl gave a small nod and a smile as Rick leaned on him a little obviously tired from what had happened that day. “We need to talk about the kid.”

Rick sighed having known this conversation was going to come up but having hoped it would wait till tomorrow. “We can’t kill him, we can’t keep him here.”

“So we just let him go?” Daryl asked not knowing if that would be a good idea in the long run. “What if he had more of his people out there?”

“He didn’t see us make our way here from the bar, he won’t see where were going and we won’t leave him anywhere close. One hour, two hour drive. I’ll make sure he can’t find his way back here. I’m not going to risk yours and Carl’s life for his.”

“I know you’re not.” Daryl knew just how much his husband would do for him and their son. “I trust you. Shane doesn’t.”

“Shane hasn’t trusted me all that much since I got back.” Rick pointed out with a small sigh. “He’s gonna have to though. He can come with me when we drop Randal off, if it’s makes him feel better. But I’ve already killed two people I’m not killing anymore. None of us are killers.”

“Think that will be enough for Shane?” Daryl asked.

“I don’t know.” Rick admitted hating how his best friend was now making him doubt him. “Gotta hope it is. Shane will probably get us killed if we listen to him so we have to find a way to make him listen to us. Whatever we have to do.”

“Think everyone else will listen to you?” Daryl had seen how much everyone in there group had been listening to Rick but he was also a little worried that this would finally be the time people would take Shane’s side.

“Gonna have to hope they do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I know I have always updated this story on a Wednesday but I am going to have to change that to updating every other Tuesday as they have changed my college day's and that is now the only day I don't go in.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some that you noticed while reading please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.
> 
> I have also started writing a fear the walking dead story, it will be a rewrite were Nick and Troy are together before the Apocolypse. it will be a rewrite a lot like this although I will probably end up changing a lot more in that then I have in this story. and I was wondering if anyone would be interested in reading it. it will be a series of it's own although it will still be a part of this universe.


	10. 18 miles out

“You sure this is a good idea?” Daryl asked his husband as Rick got ready to leave with Shane.

“Only choice we got.” Rick pointed out as he placed a hand on Daryl’s shoulders. “It will be fine.”

“I don’t trust Shane.” Daryl shock his head worried that the other man would do something irrational to get what he wanted.

“I’m not gonna let him do anything.” Rick promised knowing that his husband was just worried. “We will drop the kid off and come back, nothing is going to happen.”

“He tries anything and I will kill him.” Daryl promised looking more threatening than Rick had ever seen him.

“I know.” Rick nodded with a small laugh as he closed the small gap between them to place a soft kiss on Daryl’s lips, the small amount of awkwardness that had been lingering since he found he was back to them slipping away for just a split second before they said goodbye and Rick made his way out of the tent and over to the car.

**************************************************

“I thought we were going further.” Shane said as Rick pulled the car over to the side of the road, slowly stopping it.

“We are.” Rick nodded turning the car off and moving around a little to look over at his brother-in-law. “18 Miles out.”

“So why are we stopping?” Shane asked confused knowing that they were nowhere near 18 miles away from the farm.

“I wanted to talk.” Rick sighed knowing that he had to have this conversation with his best friend but also really nervous about having to say this to the person he no longer recognised. “Been waiting a week till we were gonna do this. I just wanna talk.”

“We don’t need to.” Shane shock his head wanting to have this conversation even less then Rick did.

“We do.”

“No man, we don’t. We’re doing this. I get it. He was passed out when y’all brought him here, doesn’t know where the farm is.” Shane didn’t like the idea of just leaving the kid somewhere but the only person on his side on this was Andrea and that wasn’t enough to convince the rest of the group.

Rick shock his head before he got out of the car Shane quickly following him to stand by the edge of the road. “That isn’t what I need to talk to you about. I heard what really happened at the school.” Rick shock his head again with a small sigh. “Was it to survive?” Rick didn’t like what Shane did at all, Otis may have shot his son but the man seemed like he was nice and that the last thing he deserved was to be killed, but knowing that if Shane did it for survival would help him just a little.

“Yeah.” Shane nodded. “One of us wasn’t gonna make it out. If had to be him. One shot to the lag, Carl lives. Reality is he had no business being here… there. Whatever.”

“You don’t think I would’ve done it?” Rick asked knowing that Shane had been doubting his ability to protect his kids.

“No, man I know you wouldn’t have.”

“You don’t think I can keep Carl safe?” Rick asked with a shack of his head. “You don’t think I can keep my son and husband safe?”

“I didn’t say that.” Shane shock his head not wanting to put too much of a bridge between them. “Rick you can’t just be the good guy and expect to live. Okay? Not anymore.”

“I’m not the good guy anymore.” Rick insisted thinking back to what he had done in the bar to get back to his family. “To save Carl’s life, I wouldn’t done anything. Anything. Now Daryl, he doesn’t trust you, he thinks you’re dangerous. He’s worried what your gonna do to get your way and if I’m being honest I am a little too. You don’t want to listen to anything any one has to say. Daryl, Carl. They are my family, my husband and my son. I will stay alive to keep them alive.”

“You weren’t there.” Shane shot back at Rick using the same excuse he had been using for months now. “You got shot and when I came to get you, there were shoulders shooting people in the halls, they were shooting people, not walkers. Then walkers started to come though and I tried to get you out, I tried, but I couldn’t. There was no way and I knew it. I kept my wife, I kept your son, your husband alive after that, they kept me alive.”

Rick didn’t know everything that happened while he was in the hospital but he did know that the other man was changing things, at least a little, to make it seem like he had always been there for both Carl and Daryl. When Rick knew for a fact that Shane had never agreed on his choice to marry and start a family with Daryl and Rick knew that Shane had always thought of Carl as more than just his nephew, and he wouldn’t be surprised if Shane took the chance to treat Carl as more than just his nephew.

***************************************

“Rick say anything to you about Glenn when they all got back from town?” Maggie asked as she walked up to Lori, having been worried about Glenn ever since he came back.

“Just that everything got really bad there.” Lori told her not having had much of a chance to talk to Rick in the last couple days.

“He’s not the same.” Maggie hadn’t known Glenn for all that long but in the short amount of time they had known each other Maggie had found out a lot about the younger man and she knew the way he had been acting was off. “Say’s he froze. Blames me. Says I got into his head.”

“He came back, that’s what matters.” Lori pointed out softly. “ME have to do certain thing, you know that, and they’re either gonna blame the little woman as the reason they do ‘em or the reason they don’t. I’ll tell you something, what happens out there happens out there. And we, we’re just trying to keep it together till they get back.”

“Things were good. Maybe….” Maggie trailed off as Lori interrupted her. “Glenn’s a big boy. He makes his own choices, and then you, do you have anything to apologize for? Tell him to man up and pull himself together. Just don’t say ‘man up’ it never goes well.” Lori laughed a little as Maggie took the tray of food of off her.

“I’ll take this to Beth for you.” Maggie offered wanting to take the chance to speak to her sister.

“No, I can do its fine.” Lori assured her.

****************************************

Rick pulled the car to a stop, both Rick and Shane getting out to scout the area. “We’ve gotta start using knives more.” He pointed out as the two of them spotted a lone walker. “If there’s one walker, we use our knives. We keep things quiet. We save ammunitions.”

“Yeah.” Shane nodded as Rick walked forward stabbing the walker in the head with his knife.

“We need dry goods ahead of the winter.” Rick pointed out looking around at what he assumed was a storage facility. “Warm clothes, fuel. Maybe we get a break. You gotta think the cold effects them right. If it doesn’t kill ‘em, it’s gotta slow them down. The second week of January last year, we got all that snow and ice. My cousin got stuck on 85 for 24 hours. Sitting in his car with a birthday cake for his girlfriend at Georgia tech. he just sat and eat the birthday cake and listened to the lord of the rings book on tape. Twice. We get lucky, get the same winter as last year. By December, it’s a different world. Safer. Maybe we find some snowmobiles to make runs.”

“That’s sounds good.” Shane agreed not having been paying all that much attention to what Rick had told him.

*********************************

“Were more than 18 miles away?” Shane pointed out as Rick continued to drive down the road.

“Yeah, I know. I’m looking for a place.” Rick said keeping his eyes focused on their changing surroundings.

“A place for what?” Shane asked a little confused having assumed they would just leave him on the road as soon as they had reached the 18 miles.

“Give him a fair shake. A shot. There.” Rick pointed over to where a school was fenced in, the perfect place to leave the kid, at least to him. “This’ll do. We’ll leave the boy here and scavenge some supplies.” Rick pulled the car to a stop not that far from the gate.

The pair got out of the car and walked over to the fence Rick whistling as they got closer, trying to get the attention of any walker’s that might be in there. “Over here.”

Shane watched as the walker got closer and closer to the fence, reaching behind him to garb him gun.

“Wait, like I said.” Rick said as he turned around to face Shane having herd the other man cock his gun. “Gun’s easy, but there’s other ways to do this.” Rick walked forward bringing the knife down into the walkers head threw the fence. “One more. Your turn.”

Shane just walked forward grabbing his own knife then plunging it into the brain of the walker. “Hey Rick.” Shane said a moment later as he looked down at the walker. “I don’t see any bites.”

“Gotta be scratches then.” Rick shrugged a little as Shane knelt down beside the walker taking a better look, kneeling down himself to take as good a look as he could at the walker just past the fence. “This one’s hand, there’s one on that one’s cheek. They had walkers here, they must had. Burned bodies down the hill.”

“I guess it gotta be the scratches then, huh?”

************************************************ 

“When’s dad going to be back?” Carl asked as he looked up from his work and over to Daryl.

“Later.” Daryl wished he could give his son a more exact answer but he had no clue when his husband would make it back, he just hoped that Rick kept to his promise and made it back that day.

“Did dad have to go?” Carl didn’t like the idea of any of his family out there where they can get hurt, let alone his dead and his uncle out there at the same time.

“Yeah dad had to go.” Daryl confirmed as he looked up from where he was working on an arrow. “But he’s going to be fine and he’ll be back soon.”

“You don’t know that.” Carl pointed out everything that had been happening around them making him a lot more cynical than any ten year old should ever be. “He might not make it back.”

Daryl sighed as he placed the arrow down turning around so that his whole body was facing Carl. “Your dad is going to do everything to make it back to us. You know he is.”

“Doesn’t mean he will make it back.” Carl argued wanting nothing more than to believe what his father was saying but after Sophia he didn’t want to believe that for his dad to not come back.

“He’s gonna make it back.” Daryl said again, not sure whether he was trying to convince himself or his son more. “Come on your uncle Shane’s with him.” Daryl didn’t believe for one second that Shane would protect Rick but he knew his son needed to hear this.

“They’re gonna protect each other.” Carl said and to most people it would sound like a statement but Daryl could hear that his son was asking more than saying.

“They’re gonna protect each other.”

***************************************

Lori walked into Beth’s room letting out a sigh when she saw all the food was still on the tray. “Couldn’t eat a thing huh?” Lori started before she heard the faint sound of crying coming from the bathroom. Lori shock her head a little as she walked over to stand outside the bathroom, “Hey. I know how hard this is. I tried for days to reach my mum. Get her on the phone. I can only assume….”

“It’s just pointless.” Beth cut Lori off not wanting to listen to any more of what she had to say.

“Oh. You and Maggie have your father, Patricia and Jimmy. And you’ve gotta stay strong for them. I wish I could promise you it would be all right in the end. I can’t, but we can make now all right. We have to.”

“Thank you.” Beth said although she wasn’t sure whether she actually meant it.

“I’ll be right back.” Lori told her knowing that it would probably help if Beth had some of her family with her.

Lori exhales deeply as she walked over to grab the tray on her way out noticing that there was no knife on it, although Lori was sure she had given Beth one.

Lori quickly walked back over to the bathroom knocking softly on the door. “Beth.” When Lori didn’t get a reply instead just the sound of something hitting the floor she tried the handle finding it unlocked and she slowly pushed the door open to see Beth standing there a knife held up to her wrist. “Beth? You don’t wanna do this sweetheart. You can give it to me.” Lori turned around when she heard someone else walk into the room. “Andrea, have you seen Maggie or Hershel?”  
  


“I hasn’t seen Hershel, but I saw Maggie and Glenn outside maybe ten minutes ago.” Andrea told her unable to see what was going on from her position.

“Could you go get her for me please?” Lori asked.

“Yeah.” Andrea nodded able to hear the worry in Lori’s voice and she rushed off to go find the younger women.

*****************************************

“The hell is this?” Randall asked as the hood was pulled of his head and he looked around to see only a building, some busses and not much else. “Oh come on, don’t be stupid. I owe you guys. I can help protect what you’ve got. Why would you save my life just to kill me by leaving me here? One guy…. One guy can’t make it along that’s why I was with those dudes…. I was alone. Don’t be stupid! I’m not like them! I’m just some guy I used to watch football and screw around on the internet. I lived with my mum! I lost her like you lost people. I went to school with Maggie for god’s sake! I went to church. I rose the bench on varsity baseball.”

Rick looked over at Randall in shock and confusion before he finally asked, ”You went to school with Maggie?”

“You went to school with Maggie.” Shane repeated not sure whether he believed the kid or not. “Answer the question! Did you go to school with Maggie?”

“I… It…. She didn’t know me.” Randall stumbled over his words. “Didn’t even know I existed. I mean I knew her. I knew who her dad was. There is no way I would ever do anything to hurt her or her family. Or you or your people. I’m not like the guys I was with!”

“Jesus.” Shane said with a shake of his head. “He knows where the farm is Rick.” Shane looked over to his friend his voice a whisper even though he knew Randall could hear him. “Where we are. He knows. Say he finds his way back to his people.” Shane pulled his gun out pointing it in the direction of Randall before he pulled the trigger, the kid surprisingly able to get away before the bullet hit him.

“Shane!” Rick shouted over at his friend shock written on his face. “Not now.”

“Well when Rick?” Shane asked turning round to look at him, his gun still up but not raised at Rick. “When?”

“When I’ve had the chance to think about it.” Rick told him as he pulled Randall back onto his feet the poor kid having fell to the floor when Shane tried to shot him.

“Don’t let him kill me.” Randall begged. “Please don’t.”

“Shut up!” Rick told him unable to think with the sounds of his shouts. “We’re going back. It’s a man’s life. I need a night to think it through.”

“You’re gonna bring this piece of garbage…. This piece of garbage who.. He shot at you Rick. He ran with men who tried to kill you. You’re gonna bring him back to where Carl sleep? Where Lori and Daryl sleep?” Shane shock his head the disbelief he was feeling at all the decisions Rick was making growing and his anger and frustration at the man growing as well.

“He’ll be locked up in the barn, unless you bust it open.” Rick said the tension that had slowly been building between them finally reaching a breaking point.

“Oh, don’t start that shit.”

“I’m taking the night.” Rick said again not planning on letting anything stop him from doing what he felt was right.

“Man, you take that….” Shane trailed off. “You think on it, Rick. Keep struggling with it. It ain’t hard, man. The right choice is the one that keeps us alive. It’s always the same with you. It’s like the first moment… whenever you’re put to the test.”

“Stop acting like you know the way ahead.” Rick cut him off not having anywhere near enough patience to listen to Shane any more. “Like you know the rules. There are no rules man, we’re lost.”

“No, no, no man. I know exactly where I am.” Shane corrected him.

“You don’t know shit anymore.”

“I don’t think you can do it, Rick.”

“It’s my call, man.”

“I don’t think you can keep them safe.” Shane told him before he swung his arm forward punching Rick in the face, who stumbled a little letting go off Randall who took the chance to run as a fight started between the two men who had once seen each other as best friends, as family.

********************************** 

“Where’s Hershel?” Andrea asked as she and Lori stood outside Beth’s room the sound of Beth and Maggie’s fighting.

“Maggie doesn’t want him to find out yet. It’s a family affair. We’ll let them work it out.”

“That’s working out?” Andrea said sarcastically as the two of them started walking down stairs.

“When Beth stops fighting back, that’s when we need to worry.” Lori pointed out the sounds of the two women shouting following them down.

“This could’ve been handled better.” Andrea shock her head as the two of them walked into the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

“How so?” Lori asked a little confused and curious to what Andrea was about to say.

“You shouldn’t have taken the knife away.” Andrea told her shocking Lori more then she thought possible.

  
“Excuse me?”

“You were wrong, like Dale taking my gun. That wasn’t your decision. She has to choose to live on her own. She had to find her own reasons.” Andrea explained.

“Want me to tie a nose for her?” Lori asked sarcastically not believing that anyone could let someone even try and kill themselves without stepping in.

“Is she’s serious, she’ll figure out a way.” Andrea pointed out knowing that if someone really wanted to die they wouldn’t give up.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t stop her or let her know that I care.” Lori shot back.

“That has nothing to do with it Lori, she only has so many choice in front of her, and she believes the best on it suicide.”

“That’s not an option.” Lori shock her head not willing to let anyone commit suicide when she could do somthing.

“Of course it is.” Andrea shock her head. “She doesn’t need to be yelled at or treated like a child.”

“Let Maggie handle this her way. Beth is her sister. We don’t need to get any more involved then we already are.” Lori told Andrea with her shack of her head before she walked out of the kitchen not wanting to talk to Andrea anymore then she already had.

************************************

The fight between Rick and Shane only escalated as Rick pushed Shane to the floor pinning the man to the ground, both of them a little out of breath. “Get off me man!” Shane shouted at him as he tried to kick Rick off of him, grabbing the nearest thing to him, a wrench, and hitting Rick across the head with it, it was almost enough for Shane to overpower Rick but not quite enough as Rick just pushed him further into the ground.

“You’re not doing this! You don’t get to make these calls anymore.” Rick told him as his brought his fist down to punch Shane. “I won’t let you.”

Shane got the upper-hand against Rick only second later pushing the other man off of him. Taking his chance to hit Rick one last time with the wrench then he pushed himself up and ran away to try and find Randall before Rick did and it would be too late to do things the way he wanted.

*********************************************

“Why don’t you let me stay with Beth while you get her some food?” Lori suggested as she stood in the doorway off Beth’s room looking over at Maggie.

“Yeah. That would be great, thanks.” Maggie agreed with a nod pushing herself up from the chair.

“I’m not hungry.” Beth said her eyes focused on the blanket in on her lap and not on the other two people in the room.

“You’re gonna need to eat something at some point today.” Maggie pointed out as Lori walked into the room. “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

Lori said nothing as she sat down in the chair next to the bed, the silence lasted a couple minutes before Lori finally worked up enough courage to say what she wanted to. “My brother killed himself.”

“What?” Beth asked seconds later shock clear in her voice as she finally looked up from the blanket.

“Rick and I had an older brother.” Lori started as she let out a shaky breath. “His name was Jeffery. He was three years older than Rick, five years older than me. He was my protective big brother and I looked up to him for everything. But he never talked about how he felt and no one realised how bad things got for him.”

“And he killed himself?” Beth asked although she already knew exactly what the answer was.

“Yeah. He we 21. And I know right now you feel like the only way out of everything is to kill yourself.” Lori took a second break needing to get control of her emotions before she carried on. “But I just want to tell you things will get better. But I also want you to know if you do go through with it everyone here is going to miss you, everyone is going to be heartbroken because we all care about you.”

************************************************

Rick sighed in relief when he spotted Randall, the poor kid alive and mostly in one piece by the looks of things. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“What did you expect me to do?” Randall asked as he backed as far away from Rick as he could, as slowly as he could. “Please, just let me go, man. That’s what you come here for. I’m not gonna tell anyone anything.”

“Shut up.” Rick told him as he made sure to keep an eye out for Shane, no idea where the other man had gone.

  
“Please man just leave me here. Don’t let him kill me.” Randall continued to beg as his back his a school bus as Rick was able to walk forward a grab him. “Please man?”

“Not leaving you here.” Rick said with a shack of his head as he pulled Randall away from the bus and across the parking lot.

“You’re looking for him.” Randall realised as Rick continued to look around. “The guy who just bashed you in the head. That you just got into a physical fight with. There’s only ten roamers over there, we can make it out.”

“Let’s go.” Rick said changing his direction and walking towards the fence and the car.

“What?” Randall said shocked not having expected this to actually work.

“He did this. We’re going.” Rick had finally had enough of Shane, he couldn’t put up with the other man anymore. He couldn’t deal with all of this anymore, and Shane fired the shots Shane brought the walkers to them so Shane can deal with it now.

“Oh, thank you, thank you.” Randall said as they continued to walk towards the car the sounds of shouting from not that far away drifting towards them.

*********************************************

Shane watched as Rick and Randall walked off, both of them heading in the direction of the car ignoring his shouts for help.

Looking around the small bus, all his weight still pressed against the door, Shane couldn’t help but let the panic overtake him.

Shane was well aware that his relationship with Rick had gone down the gutter in the last few weeks, and that he himself would more than willing to leave Rick behind if it meant keeping Carl or Lori alive but he had never thought that Rick would ever leave him behind, he didn’t think Rick had it in him.

“Shane.” He heard Rick shout from somewhere far away, and Shane looked around to see the car driving backwards past the fence, Rick’s head stuck out the side of the car door. “Shane!”

Shane looked around the bus, the back door catching hid attention and Shane decided to take his chance, he ran as fast as he could to the other side of the bus throwing the door’s open and sprinting to the car quickly getting in the back.

“Whooo!” Randall shouted happily. “Yeah! Hell yeah! You see that? You see what I did?”

“Just keep driving.” Rick told him a little annoyed as he got back into the car properly, taking the chance to send a bad look into the back where Shane was sat.

**********************************************

“Oh, Hey.” Maggie said shocked as walked out of Beth’s room to see Andrea standing right in front of her.

“You can’t sit on top of her.” Andrea said her voice only a whisper as the door to Beth’s room was still open.

“I can’t leave her by Hershel.” Maggie argued back her voice also only a whisper.

“You’re gonna have to. You’re exhausted. Go get some air. I’ll sit with her. Go ahead. Wash up and get something to eat. I got it.” Andrea offered as she looked a little over Maggie’s shoulder at where Beth was lying on her bed.

“Okay, okay.” Maggie nodded a little reluctantly not wanting to leave her sister but also knowing that she did need a break. “Thanks.”

“Okay.” Andrea nodded as Maggie walked off and she walked into the room, sitting down in the chair next to Beth’s bed straight away.

**************************************

Beth sighed as the two of them sat in silence before she eventually looked up at over at Andrea asking, “Aren’t you going to say something?”

“Is this what you want?” Andrea finally asked after a second of hesitation. “The pain doesn’t go away. You just make room for it.”

*********************************************

“What happened?” Daryl asked his husband as Rick got out of the car, Randall still seat in the back.

“I’ll tell you in a bit.” Rick told him before he walked round to the back of the car getting Randall out and taking the kid back over and into the barn.

Daryl, T-dog and Glenn all followed Rick and Shane over to the barn, all three of them waiting outside for Rick and Shane to come back out.

“What happened?” Daryl asked again the minute the two men walked out.

“He knows where the farm is.” Shane said the annoyance and just a little bit of smugness clear in his voice.

“How? He never saw us drive here and you kept the mask on right?” Glenn asked them as Lori and Andrea walked over to them, having seen the car pull up from where they were sat in the house.

“He went to school with Maggie.” Rick told them with a small sigh. “He knew her and Hershel. He always knew where the farm was.”

“What are we going to do now?” Lori asked the question everyone was thinking.

“I don’t know yet.” Rick admitted shaking his head. “We all need the night to think. Come up with something.”

“You sure that’s safe?” T-dog asked.

“We can keep someone on watch. And he’s tied up in there. We’ll be fine. Just take the night to think everything over before we decide. It’s someone’s life we need to think it over for longer than ten minutes.”

**********************************

Lori and Andrea walked back into the house a little shocked when they saw Maggie pacing up and down outside Beth’s room.

“Where were you?” Maggie asked Andrea as soon as she spotted her.

“Rick and Shane are back.” Lori told her a little confused at what was going on.

“You were supposed to be watching Beth.” Maggie pointed out as she turned to look at Andrea. “And you didn’t, so she tried to kill herself.”

“Is she alright?” Lori asked.

“She’s going to be okay. My dad’s in there stitching her wrist, luckily it wasn’t too deep. But she would need stiches if you had been watching her like you said you.” Maggie told Andre anger clear as day in her voice.

“She wants to live.” Andrea pointed out. “She made her decision, she now knows she wants to live.”

“Stay away from her. Got it.” Maggie told both of them before she turned around and walked back into the room.

*********************************************

“If you wanna kill me.” Rick started as soon as he and Shane were alone. “You’re gonna have to try better than a wrench. I’m probably gonna have to kill that boy but I’m gonna take the night to think about it because it can’t be that easy to kill someone, to kill anyone. You should know that. If you want to stay in this group, be a father to your kid, be there for Carl, you gotta follow my lead, you gotta trust me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, there was no new chapter last week, I wasn't feeling well and didn't feel up to doing much of anything the last week and a bit.  
> I'm also sorry this chapter is a little shorter than normal, The next chapter is a lot longer.
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but If I missed any that you spotted whole reading please let me know in the comments so I can correct them.


	11. Judge, Jury, Executioner

“I’m gonna kill him.” Daryl said as he looked at the cut on Rick’s head. “I’m gonna kill him.”

“Can you not talk about killing people while you’re cleaning the cut on my head?” Rick said jokingly trying to help change Daryl’s mood a little. “He’s not gonna try again.”

“He tried once.” Daryl pointed out as Rick let out a small hiss the cut still more than a little sore. “We don’t know he won’t try again.”

“I made it clear that’s it’s gonna take a little more then what he did to kill me.” Rick promised the other man knowing that Daryl was only worried about him, that he only cared. “I talked to him, he won’t try anything again.”

Daryl didn’t say anything else as he continued to clean the cut on Rick’s head, pulling away once he had finished to look at his husband. “He tries again, I even think he’s going to try again and I will kill him.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else.” Rick agreed as he leaned up to lightly kiss Daryl. “Just right now the last think everyone needs is too loss someone else.”

“The last thing everyone needs is for Shane to be making any of the decisions.” Daryl argued as he sat down on the small chair outside their tent. “Were much safer with you making them.”

“What do you think we should about Randall?” Rick asked after a minute of the two of them sitting there in silence. 

“I think we should find out what he knows before we decide what to do with him.” Daryl told Rick, thinking it would be pretty pointless to let the kid go or kill him without knowing what he did.

“That’s a good idea.” Rick agreed leaning back a small headache starting to creep back in. “Think Shane might actually agree to that without much of an argument.”

“Does it really matter?” 

“No. but it would make everything easier. Just can’t let Shane speak with him, not on his own at least.”

“There’s no way where letting him talk to Randall, we won’t get anything out of the kid if Shane kills him.”

“Dad?” Carl asked softly as he stuck his head out from the tent.

“Carl?” Rick asked as he looked behind him. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I had a nightmare.” Carl admitted quietly.

“You want us to come in?” Daryl asked already pushing himself up from his chair.

Carl just nodded not wanting to admit that he needed his dad’s right now. 

“We’ll be there in one second.” Rick promised as he slowly pushed himself up following Daryl and Carl into the tent. “You good over there?”

Carl nodded as he got into his own bed, Rick and Daryl sitting down on the double blow up bed on the other side of the tent. 

“Wake us up if you need us.” Rick told Carl before all three of them laid down sleep taking them not that much later.

***********************************************

“I told you.” Randall insisted as Daryl moved away from him a little.

“You told me shit!” Daryl corrected loudly.

“I barely knew those guys. I met ‘em on the road.” Randall told them as Daryl brought a chair round to sit in front of him.

“How many in your group?” Daryl asked, deciding for the moment to believe that Randall hadn’t been around them for very long.

Randall just sat there, not answering Daryl’s question as he shook his head. It didn’t take long for Daryl to lose his patents and reach forward punching the other man in the face. “How many?”

“Uh, 30. 30. 30 guys.” Randall told him trying not to show just how scared and in pain he was.

“Where?” Daryl asked making it clear that if Randall didn’t answer this question he wasn’t going to hold back.

“Uh.” Randall trailed off as Daryl punched him letting out a scream off pain as he fell out of the chair before he stuttered, “I don’t know, I swear. We were never anyplace more than a night.”

“Scouting? Planning on staying local?” Daryl asked as he pulled Randall back onto the chair.

“I, I don’t know. They. They left me behind.” Randall pointed out finally letting out some of the tears he had been holding in.

Daryl looked down at Randall before he kneeled down in front of him putting his knife on top of the healing cut on his leg. “Ever picked off a scab?”

“Come on, man! I’m.” Randall begged as Daryl started to slowly drag the knife along the cut. “I’m trying to help.”

“Start real slow at first, Sooner or later, you’ve just gotta rip it off.”

“Okay. Okay.” Randall stammered again as Daryl quickly pulled the knife away. “They have weapons, heavy stuff, automatics. But I didn’t do anything.”

“Your boys shot at my husband.” Daryl told Randall making sure he put all his anger into the words. “Tried to take this farm. You were there and you want to tell me you just came along for the ride? You’re trying to tell me you’re innocent?”

“Yes!” Randall shouted his breathing heavy. “Theses, these people took me in. not just guys, a whole group of ‘em. Men and women, kids too… just like you people. Thought I’d have a better chance with them, you know? But…. We go out scavenge…. Just the men. One night we…. We found this little campsite. A man and his two daughters… teenagers you know? Real young, real cute. Their daddy had to watch while these guys…. They… and they didn’t even kill him afterwards. They just… they just made him watch as his daughters… they just, just… just left him there. No, but. But. But I didn’t touch those girls. No, I swear I didn’t to.” Randall yelped loudly as Daryl kicked him. “Please, please. You gotta believe me man. I’m not like that. I ain’t like that. Please. Please. You gotta believe me.”

Daryl kicked the other man a few more times, Randall letting out multiple screams of pain before Daryl turned around and walked out of the barn, leaving Randall on the floor in pain.

******************************************

“So what are we gonna do?” Lori asked as they all stood around outside of the house. “We’d all feel better if we knew the plan.”

“Is there a plan?” Andrea asked when Rick didn’t answer straight away.

“We gonna keep him here?” Glenn asked.

“We’ll know soon enough.” Rick said as he spotted Daryl walking over towards the house. 

“Boy there’s got a gang, 30 men.” Daryl told them as he walked up the stairs. “They have heavy artillery and they ain’t looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women, they’re gonna… they’re gonna wish they were.”

“What did you do?” Carol asked noticing the blood and small cuts on Daryl’s knuckles.

“Had a little chat.” Daryl said not wanting to mention anything about what he did with his son anywhere near earshot but also knowing that all of the adults would know what he did.

“No one goes near this guy.” Rick told them all his voice sounding annoyed and fed up.

“Rick, what are you gonna do?” Lori asked her brother knowing the tone of voice almost straight away and knowing that it meant he was about to do somthing he didn’t want to.

“We have no choice. He’s a threat. We have to eliminate the threat.” Rick pointed out letting out a long sigh.

“You’re just gonna kill him?” Dale asked finding all this a little hard to believe.

“It’s settled, I’ll do it today.” 

“You can’t do this.” Dale told them all looking around at their small group. “You don’t wanna do this. I know you don’t.”

“I thought about it all night. Knowing what we know now, I don’t see a way out of it.” Rick pointed out not having gotten any sleep the night before because of thoughts of what Randall’s group could end up doing this.

“But you can’t just decide on your own to take someone’s life.” Dale told them.

“The group seems supportive.” Rick pointed out looking around and getting a few small nod’s in reply.

“What, because they didn’t speak back? You haven’t let them yet. There’s gotta be a, a process.” Dale wasn’t about to give up on this anytime soon, not wanting any of them to so something they can’t take back.

“And what would that be?” Rick asked him with a shack of his head. “We can’t call witnesses, go before a judge.”

“So he’s automatically guilty by association and sentenced to death? He’s just a kid. Just give me, all of us, some time to think of another way?” Dale asked.

“We can’t.” Rick shock his head. “No, we can’t drag this out.”

“We all need more time to discuss this.” Dale said looking around at everyone else hoping one of them would speak up. “You think about your son, the message that you’re giving him. Shot first, think later. I’m asking for one day to talk to everybody. You can give me that. Think. Think about Carl.”

“I am.” Rick told him. “We reconvene at sunset, then what happens happens.” Rick told everyone before he walked down the steps and over towards the barn, Daryl and Glenn quickly following after him.

*****************************************

“I need a favour.” Dale said not that long later as he walked up to were Andrea was standing outside the RV.

“Did you move the gun bag?” Andrea asked deciding not to answer the other man.

“Yeah.” Dale nodded quickly changing the subject before Andrea could push further. “I need you to guard Randall, protect him.”

“Why?” Andrea asked not all that shocked that Dale was coming to her with this.

“Rick’s giving me time. I need to talk to everyone else, talk some sense into them. But it Shane finds out.” Andrea cuts Dale off before he could finish his sentence, “You think he’d just shoot the guy himself?”

“You know killing the boy had to be his idea.” Dale pointed out knowing with absolute certainty that Rick wouldn’t even consider killing the kid without Shane first bringing it up. “Are you with him on this?”

“He’s a threat.” Andrea pointed out.

“You’re a civil rights lawyer.” Dale pointed out as the two of them walked into the RV.

“Was.” Andrea corrected him as Dale showed her where he had hide the guns.

“You fight with your words, the power of ideas. Using a. A gun that’s his way.”

“You really want to debate about saving a guy who will lead his buddies right to our door?” Andrea asked him with a shack of her head.

“That’s what a civilized society does.” Dale confirmed.

“Who ways were civilized anymore?” Andrea asked him as she looked through the bag of guns.

“No, the world we knew is gone, but keeping our humanity? That’s a choice.” 

“I’ll watch your prisoner.” Andrea agreed as she took her gun out of the bag. “But no because I think your right.”

*****************************************

“So he’s a kid?” Carl said as he walked up to Shane. “How old is he?”

“He ain’t a kid.” Shane assured with a shack of his head. “Just, that’s a figure of speech.”

“Can I see him?” 

“No.” Shane told him his voice shocked showing how shocked he was that Carl would even ask a question like that. “Look, man this is. This is grown-up stuff all right? You just. You just let us handle this.”

“Please Shane?” Carl asked again.

“You can’t see him.” Shane said again making Carl sigh, pull an angry face in the direction of his uncle before he walked away. “Dale huh?” Shane asked when he noticed Andrea walking towards the barn. “What, he put you on death watch? Let me ask you something. Say I wanted to go in there right now and I just wanted to take care of this, you gonna stop me? Hmmm?”

“I had a good teacher.” Andrea nodded as she took her position standing in front of the door.

“Yeah.” Shane agreed with a small nod and a laugh. “So what, you buy into Dale’s sob story?”

“I told him I was with you on this.” Andrea corrected him.

“Mmmm. You’re still here for him though, huh> that’s cute. You see what’s happening don’t you? These guys ain’t gonna go through with this. I’m telling you, they gonna. They gonna pussy out. And if they do, we gonna have a big problem on our hands. Let me ask you something, every time we have a problem around here, who do you things behind it?”

“Same might say you.” Andrea pointed out even though she knew exactly who he was going to say.

Shane chuckled before he told her, “Nah, no one listen to me. I say it’s the guys that make up the rules, the boys that always have all the answers, even though their answers always prove wrong.”

“So what are you gonna do?” Andrea asked him. “Rick’s the leader of this group, its Hershel’s farm.”

“Maybe we ought to change that.” Shane suggested hoping that Andre was on his side enough to actually listen to him and do what he suggests.

“What, are you gonna lock ‘em in a room and take their guns?” Andrea asked him with a chuckle. “I don’t know. That could get out of hand.”

“No, no I won’t. Okay? I won’t let it. Listen... I don’t… I don’t wanna know what it’s like to sleep without keeping one eye open. Ain’t that... ain’t that what we all want?” Shane told her, promised her before he added, “Hey, balls in their court. Maybe I’m wrong.”

“Hey.” Randall said only a whisper when he noticed Carl in the corner of the barn. “That’s a sweet hat. I’m Randall. What’s your name?” He asked but Carl just stood there staring at him. “The sheriff guy, that’s your dad right? I like him. Yeah he’s a good guy. I can tell. Your mum out here too?”

Carl looked at him for a second before he said, his voice both louder and quitter then he expected it to be. “My dads are both here.”

Randall smiled at him before saying, “You’re. You’re lucky you still got your family. I lose mine. Hey, I, I don’t know what people have been saying about me, but I didn’t do anything I swear. Your dad was gonna let me go till his friend started to fight with him. It got pretty bad. I, I was kinda worried. My camp, we got lots of supplies. You help me, I’ll take you and your folks back to my people. We’ll take good care of you. Keep you safe. Just gotta, just gotta help me get out of here, okay? Just help me pick these locks or find the key, okay? Come on, please? Please?”

Carl jumped a little as the door to the barn open Shane walking in. “What the hell are you doing in here?” Shane walked over to stand in front of Randall. “What did you say to him? What did you say to him, huh?”

“I didn’t say anything.” Randall tried to assure him.

“Hey, hey.” Andrea said trying to calm Shane down.

“Let me tell you something. I will shoot you where you sit.” Shane promised as he grabbed his gun out pointing it in the direction of Randall’s head.

“Okay, Shane not now.” Andrea tried again as Carl walked closer to them.

“Open your mouth! Open your mouth!”

“Shane! Andrea shouted.

“You like talking man? You like talking man?”

“Back off!” Andrea shouted as she pull Shane away from Randall.

Shane looked at the other two people in the barn before he turned his attention to Carl and shouted, “Get your ass of this door. Let’s go.”

Carl reluctantly followed Shane out of the barn. “The hell you doing?”

“Please don’t tell my dad’s?” Carl begged knowing that if either of of his dad’s found out he would get the shouting of a life time from them.

“Carl, that ain’t cool, man. You couldn’t gotten hurt.” Shane told him with a shack of his head.

“I can handle myself.” Carl argued.

“Let me tell you something. You do not go near him again. Do you her me?” Shane’s voice was getting louder and louder with each word. “Dame it Carl.”

“You won’t tell my dad’s will you?”

Shane shock his head with a small sigh before he kneeled down in front of Carl saying a little softer, although still loudly, “Carl, man this… this isn’t about getting in trouble okay? A guy like that, he will say anything to you. He’ll try to make you feel sorry for him. He’ll try to make you let your guard down. You let your guard down out here, people die. Now just... Do me a favour, man. Go find your dad. Go on. Carl, quite trying to get yourself killed, man.”

**************************************

“The whole point of moving my family out here was to get away from people.” Daryl said as Dale walked up to him, were he was sitting outside his tent a little away from camp. Were he had moved it the day before after Shane had tried to kill Rick.

“Gonna take more than that.” Dale pointed out. “And I know you moved it over here to get away from Shane.”

“Does it matter? Carol send you?” Daryl asked knowing that Rick was busy with Carl over by the house and that the only other person that would bother to come over here was the older lady.

“Carol’s not the only one that’s concerned about you, your new role in the group.” Dale assured him. “And I’m not here to cheek in on you.”

“Then why are you here?” Daryl asked him trying not to let himself sound to snappy with the older man.

“To talk about what’s going to happen to Randall.” Dale took a seat in the camping chair opposite Daryl. 

“He’s going to die.” Daryl pointed out.

“Do you don’t care what happens to him?” Dale asked.

“Nope.” Daryl shock his head as he let half of his attention go back to the knife in his hand.

“Then why not stand with me, try and save the kids life.” Dale suggested. “If it doesn’t matter to you weather he lives or dies. You opinion will make a difference.”

“Man, ain’t nobody looking at me for my opinion.” Daryl corrected him with a shack of his head.

“Carol is.” Dale pointed out. “And Rick obviously is. Your opinion matters most to him. You cared about what happened to Sophia, cared what it meant to the group. Torturing people? That ain’t you. You’re a decent man. Rick is too.”

“You don’t know me.” 

“I do know you care what happens to this group. And I know you care about what’s going to happen to Randall. You and Rick are good people, Shane is a different story.”

“What’s that? Cause he killed Otis?” Daryl asked having guessed that Dale was one of the first people to work this out and having his guess confirmed by the look on the older man’s face.

“He tell you that?”

“He told us some story. How Otis saved his ass. But he showed up with the dead guy’s gun. Rick ain’t stupid, took him so long to figure it out because he didn’t wanna.” Daryl sighed as he looked over to were Shane was standing near the house. “The group is broken.”

***************************************

“So…” Lori said as she walked up to Rick. “The nights are getting colder and we’re pretty exposed. I was thinking……”

“Maybe we could clear this place out.” Rick interrupted his sister as he looked out across the barn. “Station lookouts up here.”

“Uh.” Lori said not having expected Rick to come up with something so quickly, or for it to be that.

“Or we could talk to Hershel about staying in the house.” Rick added not sure how well that would go down but also knowing there wasn’t many other options. 

“Yeah.” Lori agreed with a nod.

“All right.” Rick moved to take a seat on the floor his feet hanging over the edge.

“Is that really the best way to do this?” Lori asked as she sat down next to her brother. “To string him up?”

“I have no idea.” Rick admitted with a shrug, not really wanting to have to think or talk about it more than he had too. “It’s my first time. Look I know how you feel about the death penalty, but.”

“And I know the world has changed.” Lori cut him off. “After everything that’s happened, you and Shane finally agree on something.”

“So you support this?”

“If you and Shane both think this is what’s best.” Lori assured him, still feeling a little weary of what her husband had been doing recently but knowing that if Shane and Rick where together on this, it had to be the right decision. “Shane never told me what happened on the road between you two, you haven’t either.”

“It won’t be a problem anymore.”

*******************************************

“You know, we’ll see Sophia again in heaven someday.” Carol said as she looked down at Carl, were the two of them were standing outside the barn. “She’s in a better place.”

“No, she’s not.” Carl snapped looking up at the older women. “Heaven is just another lie. And if you believe it, you’re an idiot.” With that last word Carl stormed off in the direction of the camp and the fields.

Carol shock her head until she spotted Rick and Lori walking towards her. “You need to control your boy.” She told Rick once he was finally in hearing distance.

“Carl?” Rick asked shocked and confused. “What happened?”

“He’s disrespectful.” Carol told him.

“Did he say something?” Rick asked as he and Lori stopped in front of Carol.

Carol nodded, “Something cruel about Sophia.”

“I’ll have a talk with him.” Rick promised her before he walked over to where he knew his son would have ran off to if he was in a mood like this.

“Carl,” Rick shouted when he spotted his son. “Come over here.” Carl reluctantly looked over at his dad before he stomped in that direction, stopping in front of his dad and looking down at the ground. “Did you talk back to Carol?”

“No.”

“She says you did.” Rick told him making Carl nod a little. “You can’t talk back to people like that.”

“I said it’s stupid to believe in heaven, ‘cause it is.” Carl said crossing his arms over his chest and looking up at his dad.

Rick sighed before he kneeled down in front of Carl. “Well, just for a minute. She just lost her daughter. She wants to believe she’s still alive in some way.”

“But she.” Carl started to say before he was interrupted by Rick. “Don’t, don’t talk. Think. It’s a good rule of thumb for life.”

“You always want Papa to talk me.” Carl pointed out thinking he had an upper hand with that.

“Don’t change the subject.” Rick told him with a small shack of his head. “You owe Carol an apology. You made a mistake. Fix it.”

“Is that why you’re gonna kill that guy? Fixing your mistake.” Carl asked changing the subject again.

“That’s different.”

“How are you gonna do it?” Carl asked hoping that Rick would actually answer his question. “Are you gonna hang him in the barn?”

“You just think about how you’re gonna make things right with Carol. Don’t talk, think. You got it?” Rick told him not answering Carl’s question and changing the subject back again.

“Yeah.”

*************************************

“What happened?” Dale asked as he walked up to Hershel who was standing down by the small lake.

“A dozen steer busted through the fence.” Hershel explained as he fiddled with a piece of the fence in his hand. “Been wrangling the runways all morning. But you’re not here to talk cattle.”

“The boy.” Dale confirmed.

“The prisoner.” Hershel corrected.

“Randall.”

“I don’t want to know.” Hershel told him. “I’m told their deciding his fate. I’ll leave it with Rick.”

“But this is your home.” Dale pointed out, having assumed that Hershel would be the easiest person to get on his side.

“I want him away from my girls.” Hershel told him for once not caring what Rick’s group did as long as he kept his daughter’s safe. “I don’t care how.”

“It’s an execution.” Dale pointed out shocked about the direction this conversation was going.

“I don’t want to know how.” Hershel repeated, not wanting to know any more about this then he already did.

“But you can’t stand by the side-lines. You’re a man with convictions. You…..”

“To tell you the truth I was.” Hershel cut Dale off. “Or at least I thought I was. But I’ve made too many mistakes.”

“Would you at least walk with Randall before making up your mind?” Dale tried one last time. 

“No.” Hershel shock his head. “I’ll leave it with Rick.”

************************************************

Carl walked up to their tent, looking up at the squirrels that his dad had probably caught that morning went he went out for a walk hung up between two trees, the ears Daryl had used to get away from walkers also hung up.

Not seeing either of his dad’s around Carl walked up to his dad’s motorcycle taking the chance to hold onto the handles’ moving around to sit on the back before the bag’s caught his attention and Carl decided to take a look, a little curious to what his uncle Merle might have kept in there.

There’s was nothing of interest in the first one and Carl looked around again his nerve starting to get the best of him as he walked round to look in the other bag, a gun sitting on the top quickly getting Carl’s attention as he reached in to grab it, holding it out in front of him, before looking around again noticing that neither of his dad’s had come back and taking the gun with him as he made his way to the forest.

Carl made his way through the forest gun tucked carefully in the back of his jeans.

********************************************

Shane placed the boxes of bullets in the boot of the car, looking up as he heard someone walking towards him. Standing back a little Shane shut the boot of the car and turned round to lean on it as he said, “What’s up dale?”

Dale sighed as he stopped in front of Shane. “I wanna change your mind.”

Shane laughed a smile forming on his face, “Ain’t you serious?”

“I know you and I’ll never see eye to eye on much.” Dale said with a nod. 

“I’d say that’s an understatement.” Shane agreed. “The understatement of the year, Huh?”

“But you’re not going anywhere.” Dale pointed out rubbing a hand through his beard.

“No.” Shane agreed with a small nod.

“And I’m not going anywhere.” Dale started walking closer to Shane as the other man nodded. “So let’s talk about this like men.”

Shane made a face not really happy about this but willing to do it. “Okay.” He said with a nod. “You deny we’re in danger, Dale?”

“No, but there’s a dozen of us, one of him.” Dale pointed out.

“There’s 30 of them.” Shane corrected.

“Killing him doesn’t change that.” Dale pointed out. “But it will change us.”

“You got balls, Dale.” Shane said with a laugh, the smile forming on his face again. “I’m gonna give you that. And I, I’ll tell you what. In a little but when we all gathering and talk about this, if you’ve convinced them to keep this guy alive, I ain’t gonna say a damn work about it, ok? But I am telling you man to man, you’re wrong. And when this guy kills somebody, I ain’t gonna need to say anything because that blood, that’s gonna be on you.” Shane pocked Dale in the chest to emphasis his point. “You’re wrong about this, Dale. You’re dead wrong.” With that Shane pushed himself away from the car and walked away leaving Dale to think about what he had said.

**********************************************

Carl wasn’t sure how long he walked through the forest, he just walked until he reached a small river, seeing a walker stuck on the other side and stopping to look over at it.

It didn’t take too long for the walker to catch the sigh of Carl and look round at him growling as he did so, making Carl jump a little and turn round trying to make it back up the small hit, stopping at the top again as his heart rate slowed a little, staring down at the walker. Before he slowly made his way back down the hill kneeling down in front of a log and slowly reaching down to pick up a stone, throwing it at the walker.

“How is she?” Glenn asked as he walked up to Hershel outside of Beth’s room.

“She seems to be in good spirits today.” Hershel told him with a small smile.

“Well, let me know if I can do anything.” Glenn told him wanting to be able to help in any way he could.

“Where’s your family from?” Hershel asked wanting to get to know the boy his daughter was dating a little better.

“Michigan, but before that Korea.” Glenn asked not even a little shocked that Hershel was asking questions like this.

“Immigrants built this country, never forget that. Our family came from Ireland.” Hershel told him.

Glenn laughed before he said, “Maggie Greene, I kinda figured.”

“My grandfather brought this over from the old country.” Hershel said as he pulled a pocket watch out of his pocket. “He passed it on to my father, who passed in on to me. I pawed it to pay for a night of drinking I no longer remember.” 

“You brought it back?” Glenn asked.

“My late wife did, Josephine, Maggie’s mother. She gave it back to me year later when I sobered up. She was a good women, my Jo. Maggie’s a lot like her. When we were in that bar and afterwards, I thought about a lot of things. You become a father someday, you’ll understand. No man id good enough for your little girl until one is. Go on now,” Hershel said pushing the Watch over to Glenn. “Before I change my mind about you.”

Glenn took the watch a little nervously and shocked muttering a quick, “Thanks.”

******************************************

Carl throw another rock at the walker watching as it tried even harder to get free and get to him, trying to keep his breath calm and his heart rate slow not wanting to be scared of the walker. 

Reaching down Carl grabbed another rock aiming for the walkers head and throwing it as hard as he could, trying to keep his breathing and heart rate down as the walker tried even harder to get free from the mud, it’s arms stretched out towards Carl pulling as hard as it could to get free, only one thing on the walkers mind to get to Carl.

Carl reached down again grabbing another rock and aiming it towards the walkers head before he threw it as hard as he could, watching in what felt like slow motion as the walker tried harder than ever to get free, finally pulling one foot out from the mud and getting even closer to where Carl was seat.

Carl tried not to freak out as he slowly moved back away from the walker, moving back slowly until he felt he was far enough away and pushing himself to his feet as slowly and quietly as he could before walking backwards both eyes still on the walker until his nervous finally got the best of him and he turned around running back towards the camp as fast as he could hoping to get back there before the walker got free.

*******************************************

“We need to talk about Carl.” Rick said as his husband walked up to him.

“What about him?” Daryl asked as he sat down next to Rick. 

“I don’t think he’s taking what happened to Sophia as well as he’s letting on.” Rick sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “I think we should talk to him about it.”

Daryl sighed having been worried that something like this would happen. “I don’t shit about what you’re supposed to say to a ten year old about this.”

“You think I do?” Rick asked looking over at his husband. “But we have to say something. We can’t let him deal with this all in his head.”

Daryl sighed again knowing that Rick was right but worried he would mess this conversation up and just make things worse for his son. “Talk to him after all this is over.”

“Yeah.” Rick agreed with a small nod, neither of them having the time to talk to Carl right now even if they both would have preferred it that way. 

“It’s almost time.” Daryl pointe out as he placed a hand on Rick’s thigh able to sense the nerves and tension coming from his husband. “I know you’re not find this easy.”

“No one is finding this easy.” Rick said placing his hand on top of Daryl’s and taking comfort from his husband’s touch. “But I’ve thought it through and I made a call. I’m ready to do this, I have to be.”

“You don’t have to do it.” Daryl suggested. “Shane could, I could.”

“Yeah, I know but it has to be me.” Rick told him leaning just a little into Daryl’s side before he pushed himself up, Daryl quickly following as Rick added. “I brought him back here and maybe I shouldn’t have. I gotta keep everyone safe so that’s what I’m gonna do.”

“What about Dale?”

“He’s got an uphill battle.” Rick pointed out. “You’re on my side?” Rick asked looking over at Daryl, pretty sure that his husband was but also needing to just make sure.

“Of course.” Daryl nodded, “If I weren’t I would tell you.”

Rick nodded knowing that Daryl was never one to keep his opinions to himself before the paired made their way back over to the house, were most of the group was already gathered around.

“Go over there with Jimmy.” Daryl told his son when they reached the group, Carl having been hanging around to see what was going on.

“But, but I want to listen.” Carl protested even though he doubted it would do much to change Daryl’s mind.

Daryl shock his head placing a hand on Carl’s shoulder to push him over to were Jimmy was. “Not this time, go on.” Carl just looked up at Daryl for a second before he reluctantly nodded and walked over to the older man.

“So how do we do this?” Glenn asked everyone once Carl was out of earshot. “Just take a vote?”

“Does it have to be unanimous?” Andrea asked from her position resting against the fence.

“How about majority rules?” Lori piped up, thinking that would be fairer.

“Well, let’s.” Rick tried not to stumble too much over his words, a little nervous about everything that was happening but knowing he couldn’t show it. “Let’s hear all out options, see where everyone stands and then talk through all the options.”

“Well, where I sit there’s only one way to move forward.” Shane didn’t have to say any more than that, everyone else knew exactly what Shane wanted to happen. 

“Killing him right? I mean why bother to even take a vote? It’s clear which way the winds blowing.” Dale shocked his head having been well aware that his chance of changing everyone’s mind was small but also having a hope that it would be enough.

“Well if people believe we should spare him I wanna know.” Rick spoke up wanting to know everyone else’s opinion before he made his final one.

“Well, I can tell you it’s a small group.” Dale said having been well aware from the beginning that the group would be small but still having a small amount of hope that it would make a difference. “Maybe just me and Glenn.”

“Look, I.” Glenn spoke up a littler nervously. “I think your pretty much right about everything, all the time but this….”

“They’ve got you scared?”

“He’s not one of us. And we’ve, we’ve lost too many people already.” Glenn pointed out stumbling over his words a little as he did.

“How about you?” Dale asked turning his attention to Maggie. “Do you agree with this?”

“Couldn’t we just continue to keep him prisoner?” Maggie asked not licking the idea of killing him or letting him go.

“Just another mouth to feed.” Daryl pointed out, all of them a little worried about what was going to happen over the winter.

“It may be a lean winter” Hershel agreed.

“Well, he could be an asset. Give him a chance to prove himself.” 

“Put him to work?” Glenn asked thinking that was probably one of the best options there was but also not sure what everyone else would feel.

“We’re not letting him walk around.” Rick shock his head not wanting Randall to be anywhere near his son.

“We could put an escort on him.” Maggie suggested.

“I will.” Dale offered more than willing to do this if it meant they didn’t kill Randall.

Rick shock his head, “I don’t think any of us should be walking around with him.”

“He’s right, I wouldn’t feel safe unless he was tied up.” Lori agreed with her brother.

“We can’t exactly put chains around his ankles, sentence him to hard labour.” Andrea pointed out finding it hard to see a way this would work.

“Look, say we let him join us right?” Shane asked looking around at all of them as he spoke. “Maybe he’s helpful, maybe he’s even nice. We let out guard down and maybe he runs off, brings back his 30 men.”

“So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never even attempt?” Dale asked with a small shack of his head finding it hard to believe all of this. “If we do this, we’re saying there’s no hope. Rule of law is dead. There is no civilization.”

“Of my god.” Shane shock his head not believing what Dale was saying either.

“Could you drive him further out?” Hershel suggested knowing it probably wasn’t the best choice but hoping maybe it could work. “Leave him like you planned?”

“You barley came back this time.” Lori pointed out worried about both her brother and husband out there again with this man. “Here are walkers. You could break down. You could get lost.”

“Or get ambushed.” Daryl hated just the thought of something like that happening to his husband but he had to point it out.

“There right.” Glenn agreed. “We should not put our own people at risk.”

“If we go through with it, how would you do it?” Patricia asked speaking up for the first time. “Would he suffer?”

“We could hang him, right?” Shane asked having helped Rick with what he was doing in the barn earlier. “Just snap his neck.”

“I thought about that. Shooting him may be more humane.” Rick pointed out.

“And what about the body?” T-dog asked realising that it had never been brought up. “Do we bury him?”

“Hold on, hold on.” Dale said getting everyone to stop talking. “You’re talking about this like it’s already decided.”

“You’ve been talking all day, going around in circles.” Daryl pointed out getting a little fed up of having this conversation. “You just wanna go around in circles again?”

“This is a young man’s life and it is worth more than a five minute conversation!” Dale pointed out his voice a little raised. “Is this what it’s come to? We kill someone because we can’t decide what else to do with him? You saved him and now look at us. He’s been tortured. He’s gonna be executed. How are we any better than those people that we’re so afraid of?”

“We all know what needs to be done.” Shane said looking round at the group, believing for once he’s got almost everyone on his side.

“No, Dale is right.” Rick shock his head, not wanting to have any kind of regret about the decision they make. “We can’t leave any stone unturned here. We have a responsibility.”

“So” Andrea cut him off. “What’s the other solution?”

“Let Rick finish.” Lori told her trying to keep her annoyance for Andrea out of her voice.

“We haven’t come up with a single visible option yet. I wish we could.” Andrea assure them although a small part of her didn’t actually feel that way.

“So let’s work on it” 

“We are.” Rick pointed out.

“Stop it, stop it.” Carol begged everyone. “I’m sick of everybody arguing and fighting. I didn’t ask for this. You can’t task us to decide something like this. Please decided, either of you, both of you, I don’t care but please leave me out of it.”

“Not speaking out or killing him yourself, there’s no difference.” Dale told Carol needing everyone to speak up and say their own opinion to be able to make any kind of difference with this.

“All right, that’s enough.” Rick told everyone also fed up of all the fighting and arguing between their group. “Anybody that wants the floor before we make a final decision had the chance.”

“You once said you didn’t kill the living.” Dale pointed out taking his chance to speak up.

“Well, that we before the living tried to kill us.” Rick pointed out.

“But you don’t see? If we do this, the people that we were, the world that we knew is dead. And this new world is ugly, it’s harsh, it’s. It’s survival of the fittest.” Dale was pretty fed up of having to voice his option like this, having to say the same thing again and again but it was his only chance and he was going to keep doing it until it worked or the chance to change their minds was gone. “And that’s a world I don’t wanna live in and I don’t believe that any of you do. I can’t. Please. Let’s just do what’s right. Isn’t there anybody else who’s gonna stand with me?”

“He’s right.” Andrea agreed shocking Dale. “We should try to find another way.”

“Anybody else?” Rick asked as he and Dale looked round at everyone else, not a single other person choosing to speak out.

“Are y’all gonna watch too?” Dale asked them his voice a little raised, as he let some of his anger out on everyone else. “No, you’ll go hide your heads in your tents and try to forget that we’re slaughtering a human being. Whoa, I won’t be a party to it. This is broken.” With that Dale walked away from everyone not wanting to be around for anymore then he already had been.

************************************************

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted while reading please let me know in the comments so I can correct them.


	12. Letting go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter is a little late, it took me a while to write with everything else going on.  
> I hope you like this chapter.

Dale wasn’t paying much attention to the world around him, defiantly not as much as he should have been, as he walked across the field wanting to get as far away from the barn as he possibly could, needing to get as far away from the barn as he possibly could before they killed Randall.

Dale was going to respect what they had decided, he wasn’t going to stop them, he had officially given up but he also wasn’t going to stand around and watch as they killed some kid because they were all afraid. Dale knew that was the only reason they were killing him, they were all afraid of the way the world was now, of what this person could do to them and they were all letting their fear get the best of them. Dale couldn’t do that and he couldn’t watch as everyone else did.

*********************************************

“Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.” Randall said as Rick and Shane walked into the barn and over towards him. “Wait, wait, wait. Ah.” Randall screamed as they pulled him up from the chair and out of the barn.

Rick tried to ignore Randall’s screaming as they dragged him from the old run down barn on the edge of the property to something a little more hidden, somewhere Carl had no chance to see what was going on, Daryl and Glenn following them from behind.

“Put him there.” Rick told Shane pointed to the spot and stepping away as Shane dragged Randall the rest of the way.

“It’s all going to be over soon.” Shane told him as he let go of Randall pushing him over a little bit.

“What? What’s gonna be over soon?” Randall asked panicked as Rick brought out a gun.

“Relax.” Shane told him as Daryl walked over to grab Randall’s arms to keep him from running away.

“Hey, hey.” Randall raised his other arm towards the gun. “No, no, no, no, no.”

“Shh, shhh, shhh, shhh, shhh.” Shane whispered.

Rick shock his head as he tried to calm himself down enough to pull the trigger, as he tried to push Randall’s screams and cries of fear away, as he tried not to listen to them, not to let himself think about them.

“Do it.” Carl said from where he had been hiding behind a small building, making Rick jump and turn around to face his son. “Do it dad.”

“Are you kidding me?” Shane shouted looking over at his nephew fed up of Carl wanting to see Randall and not doing as he had been told. “What did I say to you?”

“Take him away.” Rick told Shane as he put his gun back in its holster walking over to his son. 

Shane shock his head as Rick and Daryl walked over towards their son, Glenn quickly taking Daryl’s place and dragging Randall back to the barn with Shane.

“What the hell are you doing?” Daryl asked his son, his voiced raised, once the other three had started walking away. “We told you to stay away.”

“Carl we told you, you were not allowed to watch.” Rick agreed with his husband. “We told you to stay over there.”

“I know you did.” Carl nodded a little, trying to make it look like he felt bad for what he did, even though he didn’t wanting to be as involved on everything as the rest of the group was, to try and make his dad’s go a little easier on him. “But I just wanted to see what was going on. No one talks to me or lets me be involved in anything.”

“That’s because you’re a kid.” Rick pointed out as he kneeled down in front of Carl. “You don’t need to be involved and you shouldn’t be.”

“If we tell you something Carl you have to listen to us. Just because all of this happened doesn’t mean you no longer have to listen to us.” Daryl told him also kneeling down in front of his son. “You have to listen to what we tell you. Got it.”

“Got it.” Carl nodded a little sheepishly.

“Come on.” Rick said standing back up. “We need to go talk to everyone.”

Carl nodded again before he followed his dad’s back towards the house.

***************************************************

“Go inside.” Rick told his son once they reached the house. “Now.”

Carl nodded before walking away from the group and into the house.

“What happened?” Lori asked her brother looking between the two men.

“Carl came to watch.” Rick told everyone. “I couldn’t do it with him there.”

“That’s okay.” Lori assured him.

“Where’s Randall now?” Andrea asked just worried about what was going to happen now, of what Randall might do now he knew they were going to kill him.

“Shane and Glenn took him back to the barn.” Daryl told them as he leaned on the fence. 

“What are we gonna do now?” T-dog asked as he spotted Shane and Glenn walking back towards the house. “What are we gonna do with him.”

“For tonight were gonna leave him in the barn. We can make the final decision tomorrow.” Rick told them all, trying to make it sound like there was no room for argument. “There’s no point deciding now it’s too late, were all too tired.”

Everyone nodded all of them agreeing that it was too late to be making a big decision like this.

“I’ll be on watch first.” Andrea offered as Shane walked up the stairs, Glenn right behind me, able to work out what was going on straight away.

“No, I couldn’t go through with it, I’ll be on watch.” Rick shock his head not wanting to be the one that kept everyone up.

Before anyone could say anything else there was a loud noise from the field, something that sounded a lot like a cow in pain, and everyone turned around to face the field, Rick quickly shouting “T-dog get he shotgun now!” Before they all went running in the direction of the sound. Lori walking back into the house to make sure her nephew didn’t follow.

“Help.” Dale shouted from where he was on the floor a walkers eating his leg, a dead cow only a few feet from them.

“Shit.” Rick whispered as they all came to a stop in front of Dale, quickly raising a gun and shooting the walker. “Dale?”

“I could use some help down here.” Dale told them his voice filled with pain and sounding more than a little short of breath. 

Rick was the first to snap out of the shock and run to kneel down next to Dale. “We need Hershel!” Rick shouted back at everyone. “We need Hershel! Listen to me, okay, listen to me. We’re gonna get you help. We’re gonna help you.”

It felt like it took forever for Hershel to get to them even though in reality it was only a couple of minutes, tops, but when the older man finally reached them he kneeled down next to Rick and took a look down at Dale’s leg.

“Is there anything you can do?” Rick asked him looking up from Dale and over to Hershel. “There has to be something we can do.”

Hershel sat there in silence for a second obviously deep in thought before he finally said, “We could cut of the leg, and if the infection hasn’t spread any further it will stop it.”

“Cut my leg off?” Dale asked his face somehow going even paler then it already was.

“Yeah, I think it’s the only way of stopping the infection from killing you.” Hershel agreed with a small almost sad nod. “I need people to come and hold him down, and something to cut his leg off.”

Rick was quick to hand an axe over to Hershel, knowing it wasn’t the best option but that it was the only one they had right now.

Glenn was the first one to make his way over to Dale, kneeling down opposite Rick and putting his hand on Dale’s chest. Everyone else quickly following, all of them holding Dale down as Hershel ripped Dale’s trousers away and start the amputation.

With every swing off the axe Dale screamed out as the pain shot through him each time worse than the last, as everyone else was force to listen to the screams and sounds of skin being cut and bone being crushed, until Dale finally passed out, the pain just too much for him.

**********************************************

No one was sure of how much time they spent in the field cutting Dale’s leg off but they all knew it was a long time, and as they all walked back towards the house Dale being carried by Shane and Daryl everyone felt drained both emotionally and physically.

“Take him into the house and put him in the same room Carl was in.” Hershel told them as they reached the porch. “I’ll be in there in a minute.”

Daryl and Shane didn’t reply, the two of them just walking into the house leaving the rest of the group standing outside.

“I need someone to get a bowl of hot water and all the towels you can find.” Hershel said looking round at everyone. “And I need someone to go and find Patricia and get her to get all of my medical supplies. If I got enough of the leg he shouldn’t be infected but that’s not stopping any other kind of infection and were gonna need to keep a close eye on him for the next 24 hours.”

Everyone nodded each of them going off do to one of the things Hershel had instructed them to.

“What’s going on?” Carl asked Rick as his father walked into the house, running straight over to Rick. “Dad what happened?”

Rick sighed quietly before he moved so that he and Carl were sat on one of the sofas, looking over towards his son. “Dale got hurt out there.”

“What happened?” Carl asked the explanation his father gave him not enough. “What happened to Dale?”

“He was attacked by a walker.” Rick explained slowly, well aware that his son had seen and heard enough of all this but also wanting to be explain this softly. “The walker bit him on the leg so we cut it off.”

“Why did you cut off?” Carl asked confused.

“We hope it’s going to stop him from getting infected.”

“Is he gonna be okay?” Carl asked.

“We hope so.” Rick assured him not wanting to lie and get Carl’s hopes up but also not wanting to tell Carl the truth, that they had no idea what was going to happen to Dale and that all the sings pointed to him not making it. “Everyone’s doing everything they can.”

“What can I do?” Carl asked wanting to help in some way.

“You can go and sit with Beth in her room.” Rick told him not wanting his son anywhere near Dale if he took a turn for the worst. “And just stay up there. No coming down, no running off.”

“Okay.” Carl nodded willing to actually do that for once, a small memory of a walker in the forest and leaving it out there playing over and over in his head. “I’ll go sit with Beth.”

Rick sighed as Carl walked away before he pushed himself back up walking off to do what Hershel had instructed them too.

************************************************

“He gonna make it?” Rick asked Hershel the next morning as the older man walked out of then room, looking exhausted. Everyone having spent the night seat around the house, most of them too worried to sleep as they waited for any kind of news to come from that room and blocking out any kind of noise of pain that made it to them.

“I don’t know.” Hershel admitted as he walked over to sit down in a chair, needing to get off his feet. “If we got the leg off quick enough and the infection is gone he shouldn’t turn, we won’t know if we did for a while. But there is still the chance he gets an infection from the wound. I just don’t know right now. Where going to have to wait and see.”

“How long do you think it will be till we know?” Glenn asked from where he was seat next to Maggie on the sofa.

“A couple hours probably, to know if he’ll turn. The infection from the wound can happen till it’s properly healed.” 

“Is he in pain?” Andrea asked him having taken all of this the hardest out of all of them. The closest to Dale out of everyone even if the pair had their moments.

“He is still asleep and I’ve given him the strongest pain killers I have.” Hershel assured all of them.

“I hate to bring this up with Dale like that.” Shane started all though they were all pretty sure he was just lying to make them all actually listen to him. “But I think we need to talk about Randall.”

“I think we should wait to talk about Randall until we know if Dale is going to die.” Rick told him not thinking anyone would really be up to even considering what they were going to do while Dale was in that kind of condition. And also a little worried that people might make the decision on what Dale would do rather than what they would do and needing everyone’s honest option on this. “Dale wanted us to keep him alive so I think we should at least for a little while.”

“So where going to keep him alive now?” Shane asked with a shack of his head not believing this.

“No where going to wait until Dale has pulled through and then were going to make a decision. I think that’s the least we can do for him.” Rick corrected him his voice showing just how irritated he felt.

“So where just going to leave him alone in that barn for god knows how long?” Shane asked shaking his head again with a small annoyed noise.

“No were going to have someone keep watch all the time. But one of our people might be dying right now so I say we don’t argue about this right outside his room.” Rick could hear his own voice raising with each word. 

“I’ll take first watch.” Shane offered.

“No.” Rick shock his head not trusting Shane anywhere near Randall. “I’ll take first watch. Your help is probably more useful here. I’ll take two hours and you can decide who takes watch next.”

Everyone nodded as Rick walked out of the house all of them agreeing with his decision.

************************************************

“How long you going to stand out here for?” Daryl asked almost three hours later as he walked up to his husband.

“Until someone who isn’t Shane come’s down here to take over.” Rick looking up from where he had been examining his gun, trying not to let how tried he felt take over him.

“I’ll take over.” Daryl offered able to see just how tired his husband looked. “You need to get some sleep.”

“Thank you.” Rick smiled thankfully at the other man. “Don’t let Shane out here on his own, or in there. Just don’t let anyone in there on their own.”

“Not gonna let anyone in there.” Daryl promised with a small nod as he walked over to sit down next to Rick. “You can leave, don’t have to watch me.” He added when Rick made no move to leave.

“I know I don’t have to watch you.” Rick assured him not wanting Daryl to think for even a second that he didn’t trust him. “How’s Dale doing?”

“The same as when you left. No Better, No worse.” There wasn’t really much for Daryl to tell his husband right now, Dale was still out cold and there was still no indication to weather he was going to turn or not. “We did handcuff him to the bed, in case he does turn.”

“That’s probably a good idea.” Rick agreed with a small nod. “It’s probably also a good idea to not let too many people into the house.”

“You can tell them that when you go back up there.” Daryl pointed out shaking his head. “I can see you’re trying to keep your eyes open and are very close to failing. Go sleep.”

“Fine.” Rick agreed as he slowly pushed himself up from the bench. “I will be back down in two hours, bring someone who isn’t Shane with me to take over watch.”

Daryl nodded slowly as he watched Rick leave before he turned his attention over to the barn, trying not to let his mind wonder to what he knew they were going to end up doing with him. Knowing that if he let himself think about it took much there was a good chance he would end up backing out.

*************************************************

Rick groaned as he opened the door to his tent, walking in slowly as his tiredness started to take over, jumping a little when Carl asked him, “Are you sure Dale’s going to be okay?” Rick shock his head as he looked over at his son quickly walking over to sit down next to him. Having thought the kid was still with Beth in her room.

“I have no clue Carl.” Rick admitted truthfully as he placed a hand on Carl’s shoulder, trying to bring some form of comfort to his son. “We don’t have all the things we need to keep him from getting an infection and we still don’t know if we got the leg off quick enough. Right now we just have to let Hershel do his thing and hope things’ will go well.”

“Is papa keeping watch?” Carl asked not having seen Daryl since that morning.

“Yeah, said I needed to get some sleep. You do to, Maggie told me you got none last night.” Rick told him as he leaned back just a little struggling to keep himself awake. “So why don’t we get some sleep for an hour or two then you can come down and keep watch with me for a little while.”

“Really?” Carl asked the idea of being able to help keep watch exciting him. “You would let me do that?”

“If you get some sleep now I will let you.” Rick agreed as he pushed himself up from the bed and walked over to the double blow up bed. “But you have to sleep. No sleep, no watch.”

“Okay.” Carl agreed okay with that compromise. “I will go to sleep.”

**************************************************

Maggie tried to hold in a groan as she walked out of Dale’s room, tired from having to help her dad with the older man. 

“You okay?” Glenn asked from where he was seat on one of the chairs.

“Yeah I’m okay.” Maggie nodded as she walked over to him, letting herself sit down on the arm of the chair, leaning into Glenn. “Just really tired.”

Glenn rubbed a hand up and down her arm trying to give her some comfort before he asked, “How is he?”

“Getting worse.” Maggie admitted with a sigh. “His fever is going up, I don’t think we got the leg off quick enough, but dad said he still doesn’t know yet.”

“Think there’s a chance he could get better?” Glenn asked moving his arm to wrap around Maggie’s waist.

“I don’t know. I know nothing about all of this. Just do what dad tells me to do.” Maggie admitted letting out a small sigh. “And I don’t really know what he thinks is going to happen, only what he’s telling me.”

“Has he woken up yet?”

“Not yet, it might just be because of the pain meds my dad put him on but again I don’t know.” Maggie sighed leaning even heavier on Glenn.

“Why don’t you get some sleep?” Glenn suggested knowing that Maggie hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before, just like almost everyone else. “I can stay here and help your dad if he needs it.”

“Don’t you need to get some sleep?”

“No, I’m not that tired, I can wait till you’ve gotten some sleep. Go on, we’ll be fine out here.”

“Okay.” Maggie agreed with a small nod, pushing herself up from the chair. “Don’t let me sleep for more than a few hours though, and if anything happens please let me know.”

“I’ll let you know.” Glenn promised with a small nod.

***************************************************

“Hey.” Carl smiled as he and Rick walked up to Daryl a couple hours later.

“Hey.” Daryl smiled over at his son from where he was seat outside the barn. “What are you doing down here?”

“Dad said I could keep watch with him for a bit.” Carl said happily as he sat down next to Daryl. “And he said that I needed to make sure you actually went back up for bed.”

Daryl looked up from his son and over at his husband making sure to give the other man a slightly annoyed look before he looked back down at his son. “You have to keep an eye out all the time to keep watch.”

“I can do that.” Carl nodded a hug smile on his face as he looked over towards the barn. “I can watch the door all the time.”

“You don’t just have to watch the barn though Kid.” Daryl told him as Rick walked over to sit down next to him. “You have to make sure no one else come’s to get him.”

“Who would come and get him?” Carl asked making sure that he kept his eyes trained on the door.

“I don’t know but if you want to keep watch you have to watch for that.” Daryl didn’t want to point out that Shane was the person they were really keeping an eye on, not wanting to ruin Carl’s image of the other man. “Just in case.”

“Okay, but there’s three of us. One person can keep an eye on the door, one person on the field and one person towards the house.” Carl suggested taking his eyes away from the door long enough to catch the looks on his dad’s faces.

“That sound like I good idea kid.” Rick agreed with a small nod, taking one last look at his family before he looked over towards the house the three of them settling into an almost comforting silence, thoughts of everything else that was happening stopping any of them from feeling totally comfortable.

****************************************************

“He’s not getting any better.” Hershel admitted to the group as they all stood in the living room that night. “But he’s also not getting any worse, as far as I can tell.”

“So what are we supposed to do?” Andrea asked from where she was sitting in the chair, in the corner of the room, having been seat there for hours, only having gotten up when she really needed to, waiting to hear on news about Dale.

“His temperature has gone up, not much but it has.” Hershel told them with a small sigh as he let himself sit in the closest chair, tired from the long night and even longer day. “But I don’t know how long it takes people to turn if they are going to.”

“It took Jim almost a whole day.” Glenn pointed out rubbing his hand up and down Maggie’s arm, trying to give her some sort of comfort. “But it only took Amy a couple ours to turn. I think it’s different for everyone.”

“If it’s different for everyone how are we supposed to know if he’s turning then?” Lori asked looking over towards the door, Dale’s feet visible from where she seat. “Are we just supposed to wait till he dies?”

“Is he awake?” Daryl asked looking over at Hershel as he walked into the house, having been down by the barn on watch.

“He woke up for a little while about an hour or two ago.” Hershel told them. “But he didn’t stay awake for very long.”

“I say we ask him what he wants.” Daryl suggested leaning against the wall near the door, having had a long time to think about this while he was on watch on his own. “Ask him if he wants to wait to see if he survives or if he doesn’t. It should be his choice.”

“And if he doesn’t we what kill him?” Andrea asked in disbelief looking over at him. “We can’t just kill him.”

“We cut off his leg, we don’t have good pain killers when and if he does wake up properly he’s going to be in a lot of pain. I think it should be his choice weather he actually wants to go through that. And yeah if he ask us to kill him, we kill him.” Daryl told her knowing that if he was in Dale’s position he would at least like the option.

“I agree with Daryl.” Shane admitted, actually hating the fact that he did agree with the younger man, but agreeing with him none the less. “If we can get him awake we should find out what he wants to do.”

“Can you get him awake?” Rick asked looking away from his husband and over to Hershel.

“Yeah if he’s still well enough to actually wake up we can.” Hershel confirmed. “But I would give him a few more hours before you even try. He didn’t stay awake for very long and he didn’t say anything.”

“We’ll give him a few hours.” Rick agreed looking around at the group. “We need someone else to keep watch, Glenn?”

“I can keep watch.” Glenn confirmed with a small nod pushing himself up from the sofa. “Can you come get me when we make a decision?”

“We’ll come get you.” Rick assured him. 

*********************************************************

“He’s turning.” Hershel said to Rick as he walked up to the younger man. “His temperature is just getting higher, he had a fever. All the symptoms of it.”

“We need to wake him up now.” Rick pointed out as he tried not to let himself panic too much about what could happen. “Let him say goodbye.”

Hershel nodded slowly, both men sad that it had ended up coming to this. “You should go and get everyone and I will wake him up.”

Rick nodded as the older man walked off letting out a long sigh before he walked onto the porch and over towards his husband. “Dale’s turning.”

“You sure?” Daryl asked looking away from the field and over to Rick.

“Hershel said he was sure, as sure as he can be at least.” Rick nodded leaning against the fence. “Can you go and get Glenn, tell him to come and say goodbye if wants to.”

Daryl nodded pushing himself away from the fence before stopping for a second. “You gonna be the one to do it?”

“Yeah.” Rick nodded as Daryl placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping it there for a couple of seconds before he walked off in the direction of the barn leaving Rick standing on his own for a second before he walked over towards the tents, preparing himself to tell everyone what was going on.

**************************************************

“So were just going to kill him?” Andrea asked once everyone was in the house, waiting for Hershel to come out and tell them they could say goodbye to Dale.

“He’s turning, shooting him in the head, it’s the safest way to go.” Rick pointed out hating the idea just as much as everyone put also knowing that this was the safest way for everyone else in the group, and that Dale wouldn’t want to end up hurting anyone. Something he couldn’t very well do if they let him turn. “We wait too long and he could end up turning and hurting someone, and Dale would not want that.”

“What if we can’t wake him up?” Glenn asked.

“Then we don’t get to say goodbye.” Andrea sighed as she let herself sink back into the chair. “Who’s going to kill him?”

“I will.” There was no chance of Rick letting anyone else have to deal with the burden of this. “Shot him in the head once, then we can bury him near everyone else.”

“I can’t believe this is actually happening.” Lori admitted running a hand through her hair. “Where’s Carl?”

“In the tent. Don’t want him here for this.” Rick told his sister not wanting his son to see another person die.

“I’ll go stay with him.” Lori offered not really wanting to be around when everything happened. “Make sure he actually stay’s in the tent.”

“Thank you.” Rick smiled over at her as Lori walked out of the house.

“He’s awake but I don’t know how much time he has left.” Hershel said as he walked out of Dale’s room. “So I would go in there now if you want to say goodbye.”

Rick nodded as he held in a sigh before he turned round to face Andrea. “You should go in first.”

Andrea nodded as she pushed herself up from the chair slowly walking into Dale’s room and sitting on the chair beside the bed. “Hey, Dale.”

“Andrea.” Dale could hear the tiredness in his own voice as he struggled to get his words out. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Andrea promised him as she reached out to place her hand on his shoulder. “I’m the one who’s sorry, sorry that this is happening to you.”

“I lived a long life, a good life.” Dale assured her struggling with every word.

“Don’t say anything, I just want to tell you that I’m so thankful for what you’ve done for me.” Andrea didn’t want the older man to die thinking she was angry at him. “Even when I didn’t show it I am thankful for everything you’ve done, even getting me out of the CDC.”

Dale nodded not feeling up to saying anything else as his breathing got slower and slower as Rick, Daryl and Glenn all walked into the room.

“It’s time.” Hershel told them from where he was stood in the corner.

Rick nodded walking over towards the bed his gun in hand. “I’m sorry Dale.” He apologised feeling bad about this even though he knew it was the best option, raising his gun up Rick tried to work up the courage to actually pull the trigger as Dale’s breathing continued to get slower.

Daryl watched as his husband struggled able to see that the other man wasn’t going to be able to do this he stepped forward taking the gun from his husband and pointing it at Dale’s head pulling the trigger himself and watching as the bullet hit Dale in the head and the older man stopped breathing all together, blood splatter on the wall behind him and everyone else in the room looking over at him sadly. 

***************************************************

“Dale could, could get under your skin.” Rick started with a sigh as everyone stood around the grave site. “He sure got under mine, because he wasn’t afraid to say exactly what he thought, how he felt. That kind of honesty is rare and brave. Whenever I’d make a decision, I’d look at Dale. He’d be looking back at me with that look he had. We’ve all seen it one time or another. I couldn’t always read him, but he could read us.” Rick let out another long sigh needing to take a moment before he carried on. “He saw people for who they were. He knew things about us….. The truth, who we really are. In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity. He said this group was broken. The best way to honour him is to un-break it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives, our safety, our future. We’re not broken. We’re gonna prove him wrong. From now on we’re gonna do it his way. That is how we honour Dale.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> and sorry it's a little shorter than normal but I felt like that was the right place to end it. the next chapter will be a little longer to make up for it
> 
> I hope you liked what I ended up doing with Dale, I really liked him in both the show and the comics and I wanted to bring over one of his comic book storylines but even though I really like him I couldn't really think of how I could write him into later seasons of the show and I felt like what Daryl did for Dale and Rick was a big thing for his character and I really wanted to keep that in the story.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted while reading please let me know so I can correct them.


	13. Better angles

Daryl looked around the field, keeping his distance from the three people in front of him as they search the fence for any gaps or weak sections, Now that Dale was dead all of them worried about how the walker had even gotten onto the farm in the first place. 

Daryl carried on following them for a while down the fence before he made his way down to the edge of the forest, ready to kill any walker that might currently be too close to them for his licking. Fear that if another walker made it through his son could be the next one to die at the forefront of his mind as he kept his eyes out for anything that seemed out of place.

**********************************************

“Gonna be tight.” Rick commented. “14 people in one house.” Everyone standing around the truck, the small group that had gone out looking for walkers having just come back.

“Don’t worry about that.” Hershel assured them. “With the swamp hardening the creek drying up…..”

“With 5o head of cattle on the property.” Maggie interrupted her father as Glenn placed something in the back of the truck, the box loudly hitting the floor. “We might as well be ringing a damn dinner bell.”

“She’s right. We should have moved you in a while ago.” Hershel told them all feeling a little bad at how he had originally acted around the other group now that they had lost yet another member of their group on his property.

“All right, let’s move the vehicles, near each of the door, facing out towards the road.” Rick told everyone pointing out towards where he meant.

“And just leave it there?” Lori asked.

“We’ll build a lookout in the windmill another in the barn loft. That should give us sightlines both sides of the property.” Rick pointed out to Daryl and Shane before he said, “T-Dog, you take the perimeter around the house, keep track of everyone coming and going.”

“What about standing guard?” T-dog asked all of them a little worried about what was in the barn.

“Well in need you and Daryl on double duty.” Rick looked between the man in front of him and his husband by the truck, having tried to talk the other man out of taking double duty on the barn, but not having had much luck.

“Gotcha.” T-Dog nodded before he walked off to do as he was instructed.

“I’ll stock the basement with food and water.” Hershel told them as he walked back round box’s in hand. “Enough that we all survive there a few days if need be.”

“What about patrols?” Andrea asked walking up to Shane and Rick, everyone else doing things around them.

“Let’s get this area locked down first.” Rick suggested. “After that, Shane will assign shifts, while me and Daryl take Randall offsite and cut him loose.” Rick looked over at Shane a little worriedly not having talked to the other man about the decision that had been made yet.

“We’re back to that now?” Shane asked in disbelief as Rick started to walk away from him.

“It was the right plan the first time around.” Rick told him stopping to turn back round to face Shane. “Poor execution.”

“That’s a slight understatement.” Shane shock his head Rick walked closer to him again.

“You don’t agree, okay, but this is what’s happening.” Rick told him trying to make sure that Shane knew there was no changing his mind about his decision. “Swallow it, move on.”

“You know that Dale’s death and the prisoner. That’s two separate things, right?” Shane asked him pushing away from where he had been leaning against the truck. “You want to take Daryl as your wingman, be my guest.”

“Thank you.” Rick nodded at the older man knowing that was the best he was going to get out of Shane when it came to agreeing to this before he walked off, having better things to do then argue with the man he had considered his best friend for most of his life.

Shane looked over at Lori, who had been standing on the other side of the truck not all that surprised when she looked back at him for a second before walking off herself.

“I see why you’re not taking Shane with you.” Hershel said to Rick as the group all walked back up to the house, everyone holding something in their arms. “Just know that I’ve got no more patience where he’s concerned.”

“He’s turning over a new leaf.” Rick said hoping more than anything that Shane was telling the truth for his sister’s sake but highly doubting it. Hershel looked over at him in disbelief and Rick couldn’t help but give him a small look of agreement before he looked forward and said. “Andrea, when I’m out with Daryl, help Hershel keep an eye on this around here.”

“Me?” Andrea asked a little shocked.

“Shane’s got a way of letting things get out of hand, especially when he’s all torqued up.” Rick pointed out.

“I think we’re all a bit torqued up at this point.”

“If you’re staying here permanently, he’s got to understand that it’s what Rick and I say, not whatever he wants.” Hershel said trying to make everything clear to the younger women.

“You’ve become close.” Rick said looking at Andrea having noticed really easily how close Andrea and Shane where.

“We talk.” Andrea wasn’t sure how close they were but she knew she did like Shane, and some of the time, a lot of the time she agreed with him.

“Then you know he’s not a bad guy. He’s just his own worst enemy.” Rick had known Shane for long enough to know what the other man was great at ruining stuff for himself, that he always had been.

“You want me to babysit Shane?” Andrea asked a little shocked.

“I need to make sure everyone time I leave the farm, all hell doesn’t break lose.” 

“Then maybe you should stop leaving.” Andrea told him staring at Rick for a second before she started to walk off. 

“Will you keep an eye on things?” Rick asked as he watched her walk off.

“OF course.” Andrea promised him more than happy to do this to help their group.

Rick took one last look at the older man before he started walking towards the house again, trying not to let what Andrea said get to him too much.

*********************************************

“Hey Shane.” Carl said a little nervously as he walked up to the older man, needing to tell someone what he had done.

“What’s up, man?” Shane smiled a little as he looked over at Carl, walking round to him planks off wood still in both hands. “What you doing wandering around by yourself?” He placed the pieces of wood in the back of the car as Carl stopped next to him.

“If, um….. If I tell you something,” Carl started nervously. “Will you promise not to tell my dad’s?”

“That’s probably a bad idea for both of us, Bud.” Shane pointed out fully aware that he was on bad terms with both Rick and Daryl and that something like this might push it over the edge.

Carl nodded before turning round and walking off, leaving Shane alone as he continued to pick up pieces off wood and move them into the Carl, too mad to say anything else to the other man.

“Hey, Carl?” Shane shouted after a second not wanting things to be left like that between the pair and wanting to try and help the kid even if it put things on bad terms between him and his friend. “Come back.” Carl started to walk over as Shane placed two more pieces of wood into the boot of the car before turning around and leaning on it. “Go on.”

Carl looked at Shane nervously as he reached into the back of his jeans grabbing the gun and handing it over to Shane. “I took it from my dad. If he found out I took it, he’s kill me.”

Shane looked down at the gun, checking to see if there was any bullets before he asked, “What were you doing with this?”

Carl started to pace a small line in front of the other man as he looked down at the floor, too scared to admit what he had done but knowing that he had to finish the story now that he had started this. “Dale, it’s my fault that he died.”

“Carl, why would you say that, Man?” Shane asked leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees, both shocked and confused as to why Carl would say what he did. “He got bite by a walker. Why you saying that?”

“I saw that walker.” Carl admitted cutting Shane off as he looked back up at the older man. “I was gonna shoot it. Shane looked over at Carl as a small awkward silence settled between the pair before Carl was finally able to work up the courage to carry on his story. “It…. It was stuck in the mud. I was…. I was throwing rocks at him and stuff. But I was gonna do I, shoot it right in the head. And it…. It got free, came after me, and I ran away. I just ran away but if I had killed it, Dale would still be here.”

“Carl, I want you to stop that, Ok?” Shane cut the kid off hating to see Carl blame something like this on himself. “This ain’t your fault. But you need to hold on to this.” Shane handed the gun back over to Carl the kid just looking down at it. “You need to protect yourself. As long as I’m around you, nothing’s going to happen to you Carl, but I can’t keep my eyes on you 24/7. Only you can do that. Carl take it.”

“I’m never touching another gun again.” Carl shock his head his voice breaking a little as he started to walk away.

“That ain’t an option Carl, OK?” Shane Shouted after the kid as Carl continued to walk away from him. 

“Just give it back to my dad.” Carl said to Shane walking off not wanting to let his emotions show around his uncle, heading straight towards his tent knowing that it would be empty and that he could seat there on his own, thoughts of Dale and what happened playing over and over again in his mind.

**********************************************

Daryl stood on the roof of the barn, hitting the nails into the wood a little louder then was probably necessary as Randall sat in the bar, a blindfold over his eyes pulling on the cuffs around his wrist even as the pain got worse and worse, the cuffs cutting deeper and deeper into his wrist, letting out screams of pain as he did so.

“You can put your stuff upstairs in my room.” Maggie told Glenn as she walked into the dining room spotting the man placing his stuff on a chair.

“With your dad in the house?” Glenn asked not wanting to risk anything with Hershel. “I just... I’m just gonna out my stuff over there.”

Maggie watched with a small smile as Glenn moved his things over to the small table in the corner of the room before he turned back around to walk out of the room, the small smile still on her face.

“Don’t… don’t strain yourself.” T-dog said walking up to Lori who was pulling a heaving box out of the back of the truck.

Lori smiled as T-dog took the box from her. “Thank you.” She knew she was more than capable of carrying the box but it was heavy and she was happy to get rid of it and carry something else in. “Rick, Daryl and Carl are taking the corner of the living room. Shane and I will take a space near them.” T-dog nodded before he continued walking into the house.

“You can put that in my room.” Hershel told T-dog as he went to walk through the door, holding it open for the younger man. “You’ll be more comfortable in there.”

“I can’t do that.” Lori shock her head as Hershel walked down the stairs and over towards her, the last thing she wanted to do was take the older man’s room from him, especially not when he was already being nice rough to let them all stay in his house.

“A pregnant woman sleeping on the floor, a child sleeping on the floor. While I have a bed all to myself?” Hershel half asked her, not for a second willing to let Lori sleep on the floor right now.

“This is still your house.” Lori pointed out feeling terrible that she was causing any kind of inconvenience to any of their group.

“It’s out home.” Hershel corrected her, for the first time since they all meet actually feeling like they could all be one group. “I’ll take the couch downstairs. On nights when I came home reeking of bourbon, my wife would lock the bedroom door. Sad to day, that couch and I became friends.”

“Look if you two can’t decide, I’ll take it.” T-dog said mostly joking as he grabbed another box from the truck.

With a smile T-dog walked back towards the house and Lori turned back to the truck saying a, “Thank you.” As she did.

“The couch is mine.” Hershel shouted after T-dog.

“It’s gonna get real cosy real fast in here.” T-dog muttered to himself happy that they finally had somewhere safe to stay but also a little annoyed that so many people would be living in this small house.

Lori couldn’t help but look over at were Shane was standing on the side of the tower as Hershel grabbed a box and walked into the house. Lori had no clue what had been going on with her husband recently but she was worried about him, more then she had ever been worried about him. After only a second of thought Lori started to make her way over to the tower, wanting to talk to her husband.

“Wouldn’t that be easier if you waited for some help?” Lori shouted loudly up at him over the banging of Shane’s hammer.

“Ain’t no use waiting for someone.” Shane told her his voice a lot quieter as he stopped with the hammering. “That ain’t gonna come. No, I’ll just... I’ll just do it all myself.”

Lori brought her hand up over her head covering her eyes from the sun as she looked up at the man. “Yeah, you always do. It’s like that time you showed up Rick fixing the sink.” Shane couldn’t help but laugh at the memory.

“Yeah, just so you know, that’s not the reason our basement flooded. You can thank Rick for that… using rubber washer with a metal pipe.” Shane defended himself, the memory of the aftermath hitting him and the months of teasing him and Rick experienced at the hands of Lori so that mistake.

“Please come down?” Lori asked her voice almost pleading, needing to talk to her husband. Shane looked down at her before with a small nod, knowing that it would be better for him if he just went and talked to her, he started to make his way down going to lean against the car as soon as he reached the ground, Lori staying exactly where she was standing and looking over towards her husband. “So after Sophia, I, uh... thought, we’ll figure this out. You know, we’ll heal somehow. After Dale? This is real. We can’t keep it at bay, it’s already got use. And it just keeps coming, doesn’t it? We’ve all made a mess of things. You and Rick are at odds and I’ve not exactly helped that, I’ve probably actually made it worse. And now I’m pregnant and were supposed to bring a baby into this world and I haven’t stopped to think about what it must be like for you. You have done so much for me since all this started and you have protected me, without a thought for yourself you have protected me. You always made me feel like we could actually make it, make it somewhere safe, and make it through this. I don’t think I have thanked you, not properly at least. Even though things have been bad between us for a long time now, you were there for me so thank you Shane.”

Shane turned to look at his wife shaking his head a little. “You don’t need to thank me for that. You are my wife”

“Of course I do.” Lori cut him off every fight and disagreement that had happened in the last two years having put a straight on their relationship and believing with all the horrible things she had said to him that he didn’t need to do anything that he had done for her. “Everything that ever happened between us, I am so sorry for it Shane. I am so sorry.” Knowing that if she stood around for any longer she would fully break down and not wanting the other man to see her like that Lori turned around and started walking back towards the house leaving Shane standing there with only his own thoughts. 

Thoughts about the pair and everything that had happened between them, before and after everything went to shit in their world, and thoughts of what would happen after. A worry that even though Lori had come and thanked him and apologised, that their relationship might well be over and trying to process what that could possibly mean in his head.

***************************************************

Rick pointed down to the map in front of him, “Take him out to Senoia, an hour there, an hour back, give or take. We may lose the light, but we’ll be halfway home by then.”

Daryl nodded as he pushed himself away from the railing. “And this while pain in the ass will be a distant memory. Good riddance.” Moving back round to sit on the railing Daryl looked up at his husband. 

“Carlo’s putting together some provisions.” Rick told him as he started to fold the map away. “For him, enough to last a few days.” Both men looked over as Shane’s car came into view, moving back towards the house. “That things you did last night.” Rick had wanted to bring this up right after it happened but both he and Daryl had been busy ever since and the right time hadn’t seemed to come for Rick so he decided to take the moment of peace between the pair to finally bring it up.

“Ain’t no reason you should do all the heavy lifting.” Daryl said almost brushing off the, thank you, he knew Rick was planning on saying not feeling like he needed to be thanked just for helping out his husband.

Rick was going to say something else but as Shane’s car pulled up right in front of the house, in hearing distance of their conversation, he decided to leave it until they were in the car alone instead deciding to ask the other question that had been on his mind. “So are you good with all this?”

“Yeah I’m good with this.” Daryl nodded taking the map as it was handed over to him, Shane having gotten out of his car and was making way over to the pair. “It’s the best option.” Rick couldn’t help but be a little pleased with his husband’s agreement in his plan, knowing that it wasn’t liked by everyone else in their group. “I’m gonna take a piss.” Daryl told Rick not wanting to be there for whatever conversation was going to happen between the pair, walking into the house just as Shane reached the top of the porch.

“Hey, man you seen Carl lately?” Shane asked as he came to a stop in front of Rick, his earlier conversation with the kid running through his head.

“He’s inside, I think he’s helping Lori put everything away.” Rick told him having made it very clear to his son that morning that he was to help in any way he could.

“Look, he came to me.” Shane started somewhat nervously not wanting to break Carls trust but also knowing it would be better for the boy if someone else knew, someone that could actually help him. “Okay, I wasn’t supposed to say anything but he was out in the swamps the other day and he came across a walker stuck in the mud. He got scared, ran off.”

Rick stared at Shane for a couple second wondering why the other man was even bothering to tell him something like this before the pieces’ started to fit together and he asked, “The same one that bite Dale.”

“That’s the one.” Shane confirmed with a small nod.

“I’ll see if Lori can get him to talk about it while Daryl and I are gone.” Rick told him thinking that as Carl went to Shane first he might be more likely to open up to Lori then he was to either he or Daryl.

“Look, I think…. I think he wants to talk to his father, man. I think he wants to talk to you.” Shane explained starting to get annoyed at the other man.

“Well, I need this Randall thing done already.” Rick told him, needing everything with Randall to be over before he could even start worrying about everything else that was going wrong for them right now.

“Man, that needs to wait, okay?” Shane asked.

“It’s my call.” Rick shot back hating how the other man was always trying to tell him how to parent his own son. “Not yours.”

“How about I ride out with Daryl?” Shane suggested not liking the idea of Rick being the one to get rid of Randall and the problem with Carl giving him a good reason to try and convince Rick to let him be the one to go. “Be good for us to spend a little time together.” Both men knew that wasn’t the case, that a car trip between just Shane and Daryl would more than certainly end in some kind of fight.

“Nah, I need you here.” The last thing Rick wanted was Shane in a car alone with Daryl.

“Don’t think I’ll handle it right, huh?” Shane asked him and Rick couldn’t help but agree even though he would never actually admit that out loud.

“Didn’t say that.” Rick pointed out.

“What you say?” Shane shock his head taking a deep breath for a second before he carried on talking. “You know your son… he gave me this.” Shane handed over the gun. “You should get that back to your husband, huh? Freeing that prisoner.” Shane couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “More important than Carl.” With that Shane turned around and walked off, not sure where he was going exactly just needing to get away.

Rick shock his head letting out a long sigh as he watched Shane get into the car and drive away in that movement hating the person he had once called his closest friend and wishing that somehow he didn’t have to put up with Shane’s crap anymore.

*******************************************************

Rick sighed as he walked up to his husband, slowly placing a hand on the other man’s shoulder to get his attention. Daryl turned back to look at him for a second a little confused before Rick held up his gun.

“Where was that?” Daryl asked as he took it, having noticed it was missing the day before but with everything that was happening with Dale he hadn’t brought it up.

“Carl took it.” Rick told him with a small sigh as Daryl examined the gun. “The day Dale got bite, apparently he was out found a walker, couldn’t shot it.”

“He told you this?” Daryl asked knowing that his son wasn’t the sort of person that normally admitted to doing something wrong unless he was pushed.

“Told Shane. Thinks the walker he saw is the one that killed Dale.”

“Shit.” Daryl shock his head as he leaned against the side of the shed. “Knows for sure or just thinks.”

“Don’t know.” Rick admitted. “I think we should give it to him.”

“What?” Daryl asked in shock looking up from the gun and over at Rick. “Give our ten year old son a gun.”

“He stole it from you. I think yeah, the best option right now is for use to give it to him. He needs to think we trust him with it, we trust him to protect people.” Rick pointed out not knowing it they had any other choice right now. “And you use the cross bow more than your gun.”

Daryl looked between the gun and Rick for a second before he handed it back to his husband. “I think for even a second he shouldn’t have that I’m taking it back.”

Rick nodded agreeing with that he reached forward and placed his hand back on Daryl’s shoulder. “I taught him how to use, he needs to know how to use it.”

**********************************************************

Rick tried not to think too much into what Shane said, knowing that if he did there was a good chance of him wanting to change his mind but, but only about twenty minutes after his conversation with Shane Rick couldn’t stop thinking about at and he went in search of his son needing to talk to Carl and find out what happened from his side.

“Aunt Lori said you’d be up here.” Rick said softly as he sat down next to Carl at the edge of the barn, both of their legs dangling down the side.

“I told her I would stand lookout, that you said I could.” Carl hadn’t wanted to stand around a house with everyone else, looking at the rest of the group and knowing what he did was too much for kid and he had come up with the first excuse he could think off to go sit somewhere else. “I got tired of helping out around the house.

Rick looked down at the gun in his hands before he pushed it in Carl’s direction, “Take it.” Carl looked down at the gun unsure and Rick knew straight away what was going through his head quickly reassuring him, “What happened to Dale had nothing to do with you.”

“He….. He died, dad.” Carl pointed out all the emotions he had been holding in about this coming out in those three words.

“Yeah. Yeah. Feels like there a lot of that going around.” Rick looked up at his son placing a hand on his shoulder as he carried on, “That’s why I need you. No more kid stuff. I wish you could have the childhood I had, but that’s not going to happen. People are going to die, I’m going to die, papa. There’s no way you can ever be ready for it. I try to be, but I can’t the best we can do now is avoid it as long as we can, keep on step ahead. I wish I had something better to say, something…. Something more profound. My father was good like that. But I’m tired, son. Please, take it.” 

Carl looked at the gun for a couple more seconds before he slowly started to reach out, taking it by the handle and holding onto it tight with both hands as Rick reached a hand over to lay it on his son’s shoulder again. “Sorry I took the gun in the first place.” Carl said looking up at his dad after the pair had sat there for a few minutes in comfortable silence.

“You’re going to have to apologise to your dad for that one.” Rick told him moving his hand from where it was still resting on Carl’s shoulder and back down to rest at his side.

“Is he mad?” Carl asked a little worriedly glad that he had the chance to have this conversation with Rick but also wishing that Shane had just put the gun back not wanting to deal with whatever is going to happen.

“A little.” Rick confirmed with a nod. “But he wants you safe and he agrees that you should have the gun. Don’t worry kid, it’s not like he can ground you.” Carl couldn’t help the small laugh that came out with that knowing that his father was right. “Next time you want to borrow something, ask.”

“I will.” Carl promised with a small nod.

***************************************************

Randall continued to struggle on his cuffs as he heard the door to the barn open, quickly stopping not wanting anyone to even catch a glimpse of what he was doing, the sounds of someone take slow steps into the barn and closer to him and then further away from him, like the person was walking laps of the barn. The sound of something hitting the floor right in front of him made Randall jump, a small scared noise escaping past his lips before he could stop it.

Shane took a seat on the stool keeping his eyes glued on the boy on the ground, letting out a long sigh, thoughts of what he could do to him running through his head as he brought his hands up to his face covering his mouth as he let out another sigh. Shane knew what he wanted to do to Randall was the best option for everyone, that they just couldn’t see it after what happened to Dale. And he also knew that he was the only one willing to go against Rick right now. Running his hands up his face Shane let out another sigh, this one longer than the last two, looking Randall up and down, breathing heavily so that kid would know without a doubt that someone was in front of him. 

Shane couldn’t help but let his mind wonder to what would happen if he went through with his plan, how he risked losing Lori and Carl if he did this. Shane brought a hand up and smacked himself on the side of the head knowing that he needed to go through with his plan, that he couldn’t let his feelings get in the way. He needed to protect them even if they would hate him in the end. 

Shane pushed himself up from the stall loudly and stopped right next to Randall his gun raised to the kids head. He stood there the gun close to Randall’s head but not touching him before the sight of blood caught his eyes and he pushed Randall forward wanting to get a better look, spotting the blood and then the cuts almost straight away he knew what Randall had been trying to do.

Shane let out a laugh as he pushed Randall back to lean against the wall, knowing without a doubt that he was right about the kid and that he needed to go through with his plan no matter what.

****************************************************

“Only got so many arrows.” T-dog said as he walked up to Daryl holding out a gun for the older man.

Daryl looked away from where he was packing up the truck and took the gun getting a good look at it as he asked, “Is that Dale’s gun?”

“Yeah.” T-dog confirmed somewhat sadly as he moved to shut the back of the truck for Daryl. 

“Ready?” Rick asked his husband as he walked up to the two men. 

“Yeah.” Daryl confirmed as he turned round to face the other man.

“I’ll get the package.” T-dog told them thinking it was the least he could do as they were the ones driving hours to get rid of their problem. 

“Thanks.” Rick smiled at the man thankfully as Daryl opened the passenger side door and got in, always more than happy to let Rick drive especially when he knew they were going to be on the road for a while.

“Yo Randy!” T-dog shouted as he walked up to the barn, banging loudly to make sure the kid knew he was coming in. “Governor called. You’re off the hook.” T-dog put the code he had burned into his memory since they looked Randall in their opening the door and standing still, shocked when he spotted only blankets and handcuffs, no person. He walked into the barn a little taking a quick look around and spotting no signs of anyone he ran back out and towards the house. “Oh, hell no!”

********************************************

Shane pushed Randall as they walked through the woods, trying to make the kid walk faster knowing that it wouldn’t be long until the group found out the kid was missing and they came out looking for him, not wanting to spotted anywhere near Randall. “Shh! Go that way. Go on, go on. Hey.” 

Randall couldn’t help but let out a grunt of pain as Shane pushed him forward more and with his eyes covered didn’t spot the branch on the floor, tripping out it and falling face down on the ground. “Shhhh, shhh, shhhhhhh.” Shane said as he lifted the blind fold up looking Randall in the eyes. “Hey, hey, calm down. I get it I’m the last face you probably want to see, huh? Listen, I’ll take you up out of here, ok? I’m gonna get this of you so that you can breathe, but I want you to keep quiet. You listen good. Do you hear me?”

Randall could only let out a small, “Mm-hmm.” In conformation the tap over his mouth stopping him from saying anything else.

“Don’t do nothing stupid now.” Shane told him as he ripped the tap of off Randall’s mouth the kid letting out a few noises of pain as he did so. “Sh, sh, sh, sh. Hey, hey, keep it quit.” Shane grabbed his face making the younger man look at him, before he took a quick look around them. “Now your group, you know where they’re at?”

“No, I don’t.” Randall shock his head hoping that his voice was believing enough. Shane looked at him for about a second before he grabbed hold of the side of his head and pulled it making Randall almost scream out in pain. “I relay, Oh!” Randall fell backwards as Shane let go off him, unable to keep himself up right.

“Okay. Get your little ass up here.” Shane told him as he roughly pulled Randall into a sitting position. “Now, I’m your only shot of getting out of these woods alive, you hear me? Now you start talking boy. Where are they at?”

“We had a camp set up off the highway.” Randall finally admitted not knowing any other way to get out of this then telling Shane the truth. 

“Okay.” Shane nodded trying to get the kid to say more.

“About five mile from here, but who knows if there still there.” Randall rushed the words out Shane scaring him more than any of them men back at his camp ever did.

Shane nodded as he let his grip on Randall loosen, trying to show the boy that he was on his side. “Okay. So you gonna take me to ‘em?”

“Why?” Randall asked starting to panic even more then he already was. 

“Because mam, I’m…. I’m just….. I’m done with this group, man. They doomed and I want no part of it.” Shane told him as he let go of Randall. Even though he was just playing the kid Shane could help but actually believe what he was saying to Randall, at least a little bit.

“So you’re not gonna kill me?” Randall asked staring to calm down a little now that Shane wasn’t sitting quit as close to him and had fully let go of any grip he had on him. 

“Come on, man.” Shane said as he pushed himself up from the floor, leaning down to pull Randall to his feet as well. “If I was, you’d be dead. Come on.” 

“Hey, you ain’t gotta be so rough.” Randall pointed out as Shane started to pull him through the forest. “Were on the same side now. You’re gonna like it with is. Gets a little crazy sometimes, but it’s a tough bunch of guys. You’ll fit in good.”

“Less talking more walking.” Shane told him not interested in having to hear the boy talk anymore then he absolutely had too to make the boy believe he was actually on his side. 

“Look, I run my mouth when I get nervous.” Despite now feeling more comfortable around the older man, Shane still made Randall nervous. “I can’t help it. I got a lot going on, you know?”

“It ain’t all about you.” Shane almost growled the words unable to keep all his true feelings for the younger man to himself right now.

“I, I ain’t saying it’s about me. Just trying to.” Before Randall could say anything else Shane pushed him to the ground and he let out a loud scream as Shane came after him feeling an excruciating pain before the world went black.

******************************************************

Daryl pushed the door open a little harder than was necessary as he walked out of the barn, looking around trying to find any trace of Randall, or where he could have gone.

“What’s wrong?” Lori asked as she and the rest of their group rushed over to the barn having seen the commotion from inside the house.

“Randall’s missing.” Glenn told them from where he was standing right next to the door, also looking round to see if he could spot anything. 

“Missing? How?” Lori asked in shock, having been told like everyone else was that Randall was not only chained in the barn but there was also someone always on watch to make sure that if he somehow did slip the chains he couldn’t get very far.

“How long’s he been gone?” Hershel asked Rick as the younger man walked out of the barn, an unreadable expression on his face. 

“It’s hard to say.” Rick admitted as he looked around at everyone in his group. “The cuffs are still hooked, he must’ve slipped ‘em.”

“Is that possible?” Carol asked him looking just as shocked as the rest of the group. 

“It is if you’ve got nothing to lose.” Andrea nodded as she walked out behind Rick.

“The door was secure from the outside.” Hershel pointed out, knowing that right now no one had the whole story and trying to fill in some of the blanks. “How could he had gotten out?”

“Rick! Rick!” Shane shoulder loudly as he came running towards the group, more than a little out of breath and holding onto his side for effect.

“What happened?” Lori asked panicked as she went to walk closer to her husband stopped by Shane as he lent a little against the table outside. 

“He’s armed.” Shane told them as he tried to catch his breath and get his breathing under control. “He’s got my gun.”

“Are you okay?” Carl asked his uncle worriedly. 

“I’m fine.” Shane assured him with a small smile in the kids direction before he looked back up at the adults a pissed of expression on his face. “Little bastard snuck up on me, he clocked me in the face.”

Rick nodded before the police side of him kicked in and he started giving out orders. “All right, Hershel, T-dog get everybody back to the house. Glenn, Daryl come with us. T I’m gonna need that gun.”

“Just let him go.” Carol protested not seeing the point in all of this. “That was the plan, wasn’t it? To just let him go?”

“The plan was to cut him loose far away from here, no on our front step with a gun.” Rick corrected her not really having the time for anyone to be arguing with his decisions right now.

“Don’t go out there. Y’all know what can happen.” Carol told them worried that she could end up losing even more people.

“Get everyone back to the house.” Rick said again, feeling worn out and not in the right mood to be dealing with all of this but having to anyway. “Lock all the doors and stay put!”

“Let’s get back to the house.” Andrea said to everyone able to see what the look on Rick’s face meant and that it would be better for all of them if they did what he was saying. 

“Okay.” Maggie nodded before she followed Andrea with leading everyone back towards the house.

“I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out.” Shane said pointed towards a section of the trees behind him, hoping that if everyone headed in that direction it would take them a while to find Randall’s body, if they ever did. “I’m not sure how long.”

“He couldn’t have gotten far.” Rick pointed out as the four men started to walk in that direction, Daryl taking lead looking for any kind of marks of tracks that could lead them in the right direction.

“And armed.” Glenn added a hint of fear in his voice.

“So are we.” Rick shot back. “Can you tack him?” Rick asked looking away from the younger man and over towards his husband. 

“No, I don’t see nothing.” Daryl admitted looking behind him, the small amount of disappointment and not being able to find something, in his voice only noticeable by Rick.

“Hey, look, there ain’t no use in tracking him, okay?” The last thing Shane wanted was for Daryl to catch sight of the track and notice that it was two people, not one. “He went that way. We need to pair up. We spread out, we just chase him down. That’s it.”

Daryl shock his head looking over at Shane before he said, “Kid weights a buck-25 soaking wet, you trying to tell us he got the jump on you?” Daryl didn’t like Shane there was no hiding this but he knew Shane was a good fighter, was good at his job, and that it was unlikely a kid Randall’s size would have been able to get the jump on him.

“I say rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn’t you?” Shane shot back the annoyance clear in his voice.

“All right, all right. Knock it off.” Rick told them having more pressing things to deal with then another fight starting out between his husband and brother-in-law. “You and Glenn start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane’ll take the left. Remember, Randall’s not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for each other.”

Daryl nodded somewhat reluctantly, not really wanting Rick to go out alone with Shane, but also knowing that if Shane is up to something then Rick is the best person to deal with it, a lot better than Glenn at least. And with one last look at his husband, a look that was both of them telling the other to be careful out there, he and Glenn started to make their way in the direction Rick told them.

“Looks like its busted pretty bad.” Rick said to Shane as they walked almost side by side through the forest, everything starting to get dark around them as the sun set. 

Shane turned back to look at Rick seeing a small amount of worry in the other man’s face. “Its fine man, don’t worry about me.”

Rick couldn’t help but look worried as he followed on behind Shane, worried about what happened and what was going to happen.

*****************************************

Carl looked out the window of the house, binoculars raised to his face the dark night making it difficult for him to be able to see much, wishing that there was somthing he could do, that somehow he could get out of this house and help his dads.

***********************************************

Daryl stopped with a small huff, lowering his cross bow just a little as he turned back to look at Glenn, unable to see much through the trees now that the sun had fully set. “This is pointless. You got a light?” Glenn nodded pacing over the torch to Daryl, who turned it on and held it up in front of him. “Oh, come on.” He told Glenn less than a minute later not having picked up anything and walking off in a direction he hoped would finally lead to something.

Rick couldn’t help but grow a little bit suspicious as he followed Shane through the woods, seeing the same flows in the story that Daryl had easier. It was unluckily that Randall would’ve been able to get the jump on Shane, the man was a trained officer and had dealt with a lot worse than Randall. Rick was also aware that Shane never once mentioned how Randall even got out of the barn or where he was when Randall got the jump on him. He stopped walking when Shane did, the other man looking behind at him the two just staring at each other for a moment before Shane turned back round and carried on walking forward.

“Were just back to square one.” Glenn pointed out confused when the torched shined a light on a set of branches that he recognised as where there first started there hunt for Randall.

“If you’re gonna do a thing, you might as well do it right.” Daryl pointed out as he carried on walking forward, in the direction he thinks Shane might have been trying to stop them from going in.

It luckily wasn’t long before Daryl spotted something on the floor, his suspicions confirmed as he shined the lights on two sets of foot prints. “There’s two sets of tracks right here. Shane must have followed him a lot longer than he said.” Daryl moved the torch a little higher as they followed the tracks spotting something on the tree and walking over to it. “There’s fresh blood on this tree. There’s more tracks. Looks like they’re walking in tandem.”

Glenn looked behind him as he heard a noise, not noticing when Daryl stopped in front of him and walking into the older man. “Sorry,”

Daryl just looked away from Glenn and continued to walk slowly forward stopping only a couple steps ahead when he noticed something. “Yeah, there’s a little dust up right here.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means something went down.” Daryl started walking again, this time a little faster as he looked for more tracks, trying to see how many people continued walking in this direction after whatever happened.

“This is getting weird.” Glenn commented and Daryl couldn’t help but agree with him a little, not that he voiced that out loud.

“Had a little trouble.” Daryl said when he sotted a big of cloth on the floor, Glenn leaning down to pick it up. Both of them couldn’t help but jump a little when the sound of a branch snappy behind them started, both men walking quickly forward to stand behind two trees, turning back to look as someone walked through the forest not that far behind them.

Daryl throw Glenn the torch, as he got ready to shot whatever the thing was if it came to close. Before Daryl go the chance to shot it tough, he came after Glenn who after a little struggle got the walker pinned to the ground and drove his knife into its head.

“Nice.” Daryl said to Glenn as he walked over to look down at the walker with the younger man. Glenn leaned down and pulled his knife out of Randall’s head both men staring down at the walker.

“Got his neck broke.” Daryl told Glenn as he examined Randall’s body. “He’s got no bites.”

“Yeah, none you can see.”

“No, I’m telling you he died from this.” Daryl pushed himself back into a stranding positon looking over at Glenn who started back with a confused look on his face.

“How’s that possible?”

“Does this way feel right?” Rick asked Shane as he continued to follow the other man his suspicions about the other man just growing the longer they walked without finding anything.

“As right as any.” 

“Snatched your gun?” Rick questions trying to keep any kind of accusation out of voice with the hope it would make Shane more talk able. “Huh?”

“Yeah.” Shane nodded looking back at Rick for a second as they both stopped walking. “It’s my favourite piece too. Gonna wish he’d… wish he’s killed me when I find his sorry ass.” Rick and Shane looked at each other before Shane mentioned for Rick to keep going with his head. “Go on.”

Rick hesitated for only a second before he walked ahead of Shane hearing as the other man followed behind.

“You say he got you with a rock?” Rick asked as he walked out of the forest and into a clearing. 

“That’s what I said.” Shane confirmed as he stopped walking, staring ahead at his old friend.

“Inside the shed? ‘cause that door was shut when T-dog rolled up.” Rick stopped walking when he noticed Shane was no longer following, turning around to face the other man. 

“I saw that too. Must’ve slipped through the rafter in the roof.” Shane told him.

“So this is where your gonna do it.” Rick asked no longer playing along with Shane’s game.

“It’s as good a place as any.” Shane pointed back with a small shrug.

“At least have the balls to call this what it is…” Rick couldn’t help but stop for a second when Shane raised his gun at him before he quickly carried on. “Murder. You really believe if you walk back onto that farm alone, no me, no Randall.”

“I want you to hush up.” Shane shouted at him.

“You really believe they’re gonna buy whatever bullshit story you cook up?” 

“That’s just it, it ain’t no story. I saw that prisoner shoot you down. I ran after him, I snapped his neck. It ain’t gonna be easy but Lori, Carl, Daryl. They’ll get over you. They don’t it before. They just gonna have to.” Shane told him as he took a deep breath.

“Why? Why now? I thought we worked this all out?” Rick asked him, able to keep the hurt he was feeling out of his voice, not wanting to let Shane on about how much this was actually hurting him.

Shane laughed as he shook his head, the gun in his hand moving a little with him. “We tried to kill each other man. What you think? We just gonna forget about it all? We gonna ride off into the sunset together?”

“You’re gonna kill me in cold blood? Screw my husband, my son!” Rick shouted at him, just the thought that he was gonna do that to Carl and Daryl making it hard to keep his emotions at bay. “Have my son look up to you, see you as a dad. Is that what you want? That life won’t be worth a damn. I know you. You won’t be able to live with this.”

“Want to know about what I can live with? You got no idea what I can live with, what I live with!” Shane shouted back not doing as good a job as Rick with keeping his emotions out of his voice. “You wanna talk about what I can do, Rick? How about what you can do? Here I am. Come on, man, Raise your gun.”

“No, no, I will not.” 

“What happened Rick? I thought you weren’t the good guy anymore. Isn’t that what you said? Even right here, right now, you ain’t gonna fight for ‘em? I’m a better father then you, Rick, I’m a better husband then you. I’m a better man then you. ‘Cause I can be here and I’ll fight for it. You come back here and you just destroy everything! You got a broken husband, a weak boy and even more broken sister. You ain’t got the first clue in how to fix it. Raise your gun.”

“Your gonna have to kill an unarmed man.” Rick told him not willing to rise to Shane’s level as he threw his gun onto the floor ahead of him. Slowly walking closer and closer to Shane. “There is a way you can come back from this, a way you can be there for Lori and your kid. Be there for Carl. For all of them, come back to the farm put this all behind us.” With his last word Rick finally reached Shane. He brought a hand out to his friend placing it on Shane’s face before he brought a hand forward, stabbing Shane in the gut with it a gunshot going off as he did.

Rick couldn’t help but let the tears come as he lowers Shane to the floor, the other man’s breathing having already become shallow as he choked on his blood. “Damn you for making me do this, Shane. This was you, not me! You did this to us! This was you, not me! Not me!” Rick pulled the knife out of Shane not looking as blood starting to pour out of the hole and crying even harder as Shane looked between Rick’s face and the wound a panicked look on his face.

Rick stood over Shane as the man’s breathing got slower and slower before he finally stopped and Rick let out a sob stumbling away from Shane as more sob’s and screams escaped past his lips. 

“Dad?” Carl shouted as he ran over to where his father was crouched on the floor, stopping when he caught sight of the body next to him.

“Carl.” Rick said in shock pushing himself up from the floor and walking towards his son, worried about how much the kid might have seen. “You know. You should be back at home. With everyone else.” Rick couldn’t help but feel his heart break as Carl raised his gun up in his direction. “Just, just put the….. Put the gun down.” Rick couldn’t help as the tears built back up in his eyes. “It’s not what it seems. Please.”

Both father and son jumped a little as Carl pulled the trigger, the bullet flying past Rick and into Shane behind him, Rick noticing for the first time that the other man had turned and was following him. 

Carl went to rush forward, tears filling his own eyes before Rick shouted at him, “Wait, wait.” Carl stopped as Rick walked forward checking that Shane really was dead now as the sounds of walkers got closer and closer to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted while reading please let me know in the comments so I can correct them.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that it has been so long since I updated this, I had trouble finishing this Chapter.  
> I already have the next chapter half written so I'm hoping I will be able to get it posed sonnish.
> 
> I hope you like this chapter and that it was worth the wait.

“I’m going after them.” Andrea said as she pushed herself up from the small sofa, unable to just sit around not anything anymore.

“Don’t.” Lori shock her head knowing it will be a bad idea for anyone else to leave right now. “They could be anywhere. And if Randall comes back, we’re gonna need you here.”

Before anyone else got the chance to say anything the door opened and Daryl walked in, Glenn right behind him. “Rick and Shane ain’t back?” Daryl asked as he looked around the room, able to keep all the worry he was feeling out of his voice.

“No.” Lori shock her head looking over at her brother-in-law and starting to get worried herself.

“We heard a shot.” Daryl told them as he walked further into the house so that Glenn could shut the door behind him.

“Maybe they found Randall.” Lori pointed out not wanting to let herself think about what the other possibilities were.

Daryl shock his head before telling every, “We found him, he’s a walker.”

“Did you find the walker that bit him?” Hershel asked the pair not liking the idea that a walker could be anywhere near the farm, especially not after what happened with Dale.

“No, the weird thing is he wasn’t bit.” Glenn said all the confusion he was feeling coming through in his voice.

“His neck was broke.” Daryl added.

“So he fought back?”

“The thing is, Shane and Randall’s tracks were right on top of each other. And Shane ain’t no tracker, so he didn’t come up behind him, they were together.” Daryl explained a little unsure, not wanting to Lori to take this the wrong way or hurt her.

“Would you please go back out there?” Lori asked even though she knew she didn’t have to, she was well aware that Daryl had been planning on going back out there since the second he found out Rick wasn’t back yet. “Find Rick and Shane, bring them both back so we can find out what the hell is going on.”

“You got it.” Daryl nodded before he and Glenn turned back around and headed out of the house Lori saying a loud, “Thank you.” As they did.

*************************************************

“You bit too?” Carl asked his dad worriedly, still looking over at Shane’s body in shock and confusion as if what he did hadn’t quit hit him yet.

“No.” Rick assured him his eyes firmly on his son and not on the body of his dead brother-in-law.

“Shane was.” Carl pointed out sounding more heartbroken then Rick had ever heard him.

“That wasn’t Shane.” Rick pointed out as he kneeled down in front of his son so that they were at eye level. “You know that right?”

“Used to be. What happened?” Carl asked him finally dragging his eyes away from his uncle and over to his father. “You guys attacked? I mean, I…. I heard a gunshot, but I didn’t see any walkers nearby. How did Shane die?”

Before Rick got the chance to even try and come up with an answer for his son he heard the sounds of walkers growling and he moved around a little awkwardly to see a whole heard of walkers heading there way, a heard bigger than they had ever seen. “Shit, no, no, no, no.” Rick couldn’t help but let out the panicked noises as he rose to his feet. “Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.” Rick told his son before the two of them started running back towards the house.

Rick ran until a tree came into sight, pulling Carl behind it and looking around, trying to keep a close eye on all the walkers close to them.

“We… we gotta get to the house, tell the others.” Carl said out of breath and trying to keep his voice as quite as he possibly could.

“We’ll never get through that.” Rick told him as he look at the walkers currently making their way from the barn towards the house. “Can’t go around. Carl, stay close. Go!” With that Rick and Carl started to make their way towards the barn, stopping and moving around a few times to keep away from the walkers around them.”

***********************************************

Daryl stopped dead in his tracks’ Glenn almost walking into him, as he noticed what was in the distance.

“What?” Glenn asked confused.

“Walkers.” Daryl told him pointing towards where he could see them. “Get back to the house.”

Glenn nodded before he turned around and ran back towards the house, Daryl following right behind.

“What’s going on?” Lori asked as the two men burst through the door. “Why are you back so soon?”

“Walkers. Outside, a lot of them.” Glenn told everyone a tiny bit out of breath from the run back. “More than on the highway.”

“What.” Andrea asked as she pushed herself up from the sofa and past Glenn and Daryl out of the house, who both quickly followed behind her.

The three of them stopped before the steps looking out as the walkers walked around the barn, getting closer and closer to the house quicker than any of them liked. “Shit.”

The three of them made their way back into the house quickly letting everyone else know about what was going on. Everyone was quick to get up and walk over to the windows, all looking out to try and see just how bad the situation was.

“Patricia kill the lights.” Hershel said hoping that it would at least slow the walkers down.

“I’ll get the guns.” Andrea offered moving away from the window and over to where she had put the guns.

“Maybe they’re just passing through.” Glenn said hopefully, none of them wanting to think about what kind of damage a herd like that can do. “Like the herd on the highway. Maybe if we just stay in here and stay quite we’ll be okay.”

“Not unless there a tunnel downstairs I don’t know about.” Daryl shock his head not seeing much of a chance of them making it through this without some kind of fight. “A herd that size could rip down the house.”

“Carl’s gone.” Lori said panicked as she ran down the stairs, having gone up when they first found out the news to make sure that he was okay.

“What?” Daryl asked the panic coming through his voice as he looked over at his sister-in-law.

“He… He was upstairs.” Lori could feel the tears starting to build in her eyes at just the thought of what could be happening to her nephew. “I can’t find him anywhere.”

“Maybe he’s hiding.” Glenn supplied but everyone was well aware that it was unlikely for Carl to have hid.

“He’s supposed to be upstairs.” Lori shock her head looking over at Daryl and seeing the panicked look in his eyes, a look she had only seen on the older man a handful of times in the over 15 years she had known him.

“We’ll all look for him.” Carol suggested, her mind subconsciously going back to when they couldn’t find Sophia and everything that Rick, Daryl and Carl had done for her then. “We’re gonna find him.”

Daryl found it hard not to snap at someone as they all went back into the house searching for Carl, he had a sinking feeling that Carl had left in search of him or Rick and that he was out there somewhere with a herd of walker’s getting closer and closer. A sinking feeling that was telling him he might never see his son again.

Daryl made his way straight upstairs to where he knew Carl had been waiting, hoping that with some luck he would find a clue to where his son had gone.

Rick looked over at his son when he finally got the door to the barn shut behind him, the sounds of walkers banging on the door behind him filling him with fear as he tried to come up with some way to get his son out of this safely.

Carl looked over at his dad, trying to block out the sounds around them, as he followed his dad through the barn, putting all his trust in the older man. 

Daryl walked back out of the house, having spent the last couple minutes looking for his son with no luck whatsoever, he guessed that Carl had gone out to look for them and hoped with everything he had that Carl had somehow found Rick out there. He made his way straight over to where everyone else was getting ready for what was to come.

“Maggie.” Glenn said in shock as his boyfriend handed him a gun.

“You grow up country, you pick up a few things.” Maggie explained with a small shrug.

“I got the numbers.” Daryl told them as he walked up behind the small group. “It’s not us.”

“You can go if you want.” Herschel told him as he loaded his gun.

“You gonna take them all on?” Daryl asked with a small shake of his head.

“We have guns. We have cars.” Hershel pointed out as if that explained why he wanted to risk his life for some house. 

“Kill as many as we can, and we’ll use the cars to lead the rest of them off the farm.” Andrea agreed with a small nod, as she stood up with her own gun.

“Are you serious?” Daryl couldn't understand why any of them were doing this for some land.

“This is my farm.” Hershel told him. “I’ll die here.”

“All right.” Daryl nodded not understanding why the older man would do that for a farm but deciding not to argue with him. “It’s as good a night as any.”

“Come one.” Rick told his son as he started tipping the gasoline for a canister he had been able to find onto the floor, moving backwards through the barn and away from the door where walkers were still banging on the door. “All right. Ok. Up there hurry.” 

“What, what about you?” Carl asked as he stopped at the bottom of this ladder looking over at his father with a panicked look on his face.

“I’ll be right there.” Rick promised him as he bent down just enough to look into his son’s eyes. “All right. Drop the lighter when I say. It’ll stop some of them from reaching the house and distract the others. So at least we’ll have a chance. Hey, hey, hey, look at me. You can do this. Carl, I love you.” Rick looked at his son for a second before the sounds of the walker’s got louder. “Alright, go, go, go.”

Carl turned around and started making his way up the ladder quickly. Rick ran back in the other direction and hitting on the door to the barn with shouts of, “Hey.” Rick opened the door to the barn a couple seconds later. “Alright come and get it!” Rick ran backwards continuing to shout loudly the whole way and when he finally reached halfway up the ladder he looked over at his son and shouted. “Carl, now!”

Carl took the already lit lighter and moved his arm over to the edge of the ledge letting the lighter go and watching as it fell to the floor, setting the gasoline and everything around it on fire. Rick finally reached the top of the ladder, walking over to stand next to the younger man both of them looking down at the on fire walkers’ and hoping this would work.

Daryl reluctantly followed the small group away from the house and over to their vehicles, walking straight over to his motorcycle and getting on. The last thing he wanted to do was leave the house without his son and husband but he knew his motorcycle was probably one of the best chances they had to distract the walkers and he didn't trust anyone else, other than Rick if he was in a good mood, to ride it.

He stopped as close to the barn as he felt safe going quickly getting his gun out and aiming it towards the walkers that were now headed his way, shooting the closest one to him as the truck and RV drove up behind him, driving along the fence and shooting walkers as they went.

Rick looked down at the walkers as they burned the sounds of muffled gunshots making it to him through the sounds of burning walkers. He walked backwards a hand out to Carl so that his son would move away with him.

“He’s not up there. I can’t find him.” Lori panicked as she walked back down the stairs having been up there looking for her nephew. “Where the hell can he be?” She couldn't believe this was happening, her brother and brother-in-law had trusted her in keeping Carl safe and somehow she had lost him. She just couldn't believe it.

“He probably just went out to look for his dad’s.” Carol pointed out trying to stay calm when her friend was breaking down so much.

“Maybe he set the fire.” Patricia offered up from where she was standing by the mirror with Beth. 

“Must have been Shane or Rick that started the fire.” Daryl said as he drove over to the RV and where Jimmy was leaning out of the window, gun in hand, hoping with everything that it was Rick and that his husband was alive inside there. “Maybe they’re trying to get out back! Why don’t you circle around?” Daryl told him, wanting to be the one to do it himself but knowing he was needed more there.

“Got it.” Jimmy agreed with a small nod as he got back into the RV, driving off a second later.

Daryl watched it go for a second before he drove off in the other direction. Trying not to think about his husband or son and keep his focus on the walkers and keeping their group safe.

“Hey.” Rick shouted as they reached the end of the barn spotting the RV coming towards them. “Hey! Here! Get in here! Put it right there!” Rick walked over to the roof next to him quickly turning back around to help his son over, both of them walking straight over and onto the top of the RV, the sounds of Jimmy’s screaming reaching them only a couple of seconds later.

Rick couldn't help but let out a small “Fuck.” At the sound of screams quickly making his way over to the edge of the RV and using the ladder to climb down shooting walkers as he went. “Carl Now!” He shouted back to his son, as Carl made his way down at a pace too slow for Rick’s liking.

Rick and Carl made their way away from the barn as quickly as possible shooting walkers as they went.

“There all over the place.” Andrea shouted over at T-dog as the two of them drove around the barn, half sticking out the window as she tried to shoot every walker she could. “There’s no corralling them. We’re gonna run out of ammo before we even make a dent.”

“We need a new plan.” T-dog agreed, looking round at all the walkers surrendering them, not sure if they would have any chance of taking back control of the farm. 

“Oh god, oh god” Carl said as he followed his dad across the field trying to stay as close to his father and as far away from the walkers as he possibly could.

“There. Head into the woods over there.” Rick pointed to a section of the woods in front of him that seemed to be free of walkers. “Now!” Rick shouted at his son before the two went running in that direction, Rick shooting a walker on the way. 

As they reached the end of the woods Rick pushed his son in front of him shooting another walker behind them.

Daryl looked around him the best he could as he rode his motorcycle around, spotting two people running into the woods, two people that looked a lot like his husband and son and he couldn’t help but let out a small sigh of relief. If that was them like he was pretty sure it was Rick would keep Carl safe. There was a good chance they would both make it out of this alive.

“I checked for him in the shed and I still can’t find him anywhere.” Lori said as she walked back up the stairs of the house, feeling horrible and like it was all her fault for Carl going missing. She needed to find her nephew before anything happened to him.

“He’s not in the cellar or the attic.” Carol told her as she walked out of the house behind Lori, just as worried about the boy as her friend was. She knew what it was like to lose someone in a world like this and she hopped with everything she had that this wouldn't have the same outcome.

“Okay, if he went after Rick he would have gone that way.” Lori pointed out pointing over to the field. “But if he had gone looking for Daryl he would have gone that way.” Lori pointed straight ahead of them as she couldn't help but let out a small panicked noise.

Lori started to walk forward in the direction of where Rick would probably have gone, determined to find the kid before Carol stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“No, you’ll lead them right to him.” Carol pointed out her voice showing just how worried everything that was going on around them was making her. “We can’t stay here.”

“I can’t leave him out there Carol. I was supposed to be looking after him, I lost him. I can't leave him out there.” Lori argued.

“You just have to hope that he found one of his dad’s and that he’s safe. That’s all we can do right now. We gotta go.”

The walkers were getting increasingly closer to the house now, Hershel’s shots no longer able to keep them all away and Lori knew she was right. There was no chance of her finding Carl if she died here, she couldn't. Die here, not now, not here, not when she was finally getting her baby.

“Get the others.” Lori finally told Carol before she walked over to the fence using her gun to shoot as many walkers as she could.

“Hershel.” Lori shouted over at the older man trying to get his attention. “Hershel, Hershel, Hershel. Come on, it's time to go. Hershel.” 

“Come on now.” Carol told Lori as she walked out of the house with everyone else behind her. 

“Hershel.” Lori shouted again getting ready to run over to him. “Hershel.”

“We gotta go.” Carol said again trying to pull Lori away. “It’s time to go. We need to go.”

Lori took one last look at Hershel before she followed everyone else over to the cars, the promise in her head that they would come back and get him as soon as they were in their vehicles. 

“Stay behind me.” Lori told everyone the only one in their little group to have a gun as they ran across the small field trying to shoot all the walkers in their way. 

Before they could reach the car the sounds of Patricia screaming reached her and everyone turned around to see a Walker biting at her neck. 

“No! No!” Carol shouted as she ran away from the walkers that were now closing in from behind. 

Lori ran over to pull Beth away from Patricia, the younger woman unable to free her arm from the tight grip that was held on it.

Lori finally got the screaming girl away from the walkers only a couple of seconds later, although it felt like a hell of a lot longer to both of them, and ran backwards towards the car keeping a tight grip on Beth the whole way and not noticing how Carol ran off in a different direction, walkers chasing after her.

T-dog and Andrea pulled up alongside Lori and Beth, Andrea quickly jumping out of the truck with a shout of, “Hurry up, get in.”

“Carol!” Lori shouted when she realized the older woman wasn't with them. “You need to get Carol. She ran that way.”

Andrea nodded, moving out of the way of the truck so that everyone else could get in before running in the direction Lori had told her, shooting walker’s on her way.

It wasn't long till she caught up to where Carol had run too, shooting the last walked that stood in front of the older women.

Just as Andrea was about to run over and grab Carol the sound of the older women shouting, “Look out!” was heard before she turned around and tried to shoot the walker behind her.

Lori watched over at Andrea from where she was sitting by the window of the truck. “They got her.” Lori said in shock when she watched a walker fall down, taking Andrea with it. “They got her!” Lori said a lot louder so that everyone else could hear her, Walkers were starting to surround all sides of the truck now and she was starting to worry that they wouldn't make it out of here alive. “We gotta go! Doc, come on!”

T-dog followed Lori’s eyes of sight for a moment, seeing that Andrea in fact was no longer there and unable to find Carol through all the walkers he started the engine and started to drive off. All of them hated that they were having to do this but not knowing any other way to get the most amount of people away from this farm alive.

Andrea pushed the walker off of her with a groan looking around her as she did so. No longer able to see Carol or the truck. The only thing that was in her sight now was Walkers and after grabbing her gun Andrea ran off, hoping to get away from them and back to her people.

“Where the hell are they going?” Maggie asked as she watched the truck drive off in a different direction through the mirror. “Should I follow them?”

Glenn turned around to look out the back window, watching where the truck went for a second before he nodded and said. “I would say yes. Swing it around. Swing it around here. Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Glenn muttered when they turned around and hit a wall of walker’s.

“Oh my god.” Maggie couldn't help but panic a little not seeing many options for them to get out of this mess. “I can’t get through.”

“Head out.” Glenn told her, only seeing one option for them now.

“What?” Maggie asked briefly, looking over at her boyfriend in confusion.

“Get off the farm now.” Maggie was able to hear the panic in the younger man’s voice but just the thought of having to leave her home, she didn't even want to think about that.

“Don’t say that.” Maggie almost snapped at Glenn.

“Maggie, it’s lost!” Glenn shouted, having been trying to think about all the different options they may have not able to come up with any other option, he knew his girlfriend would hate this but he hoped there would be some way to change her mind.

“The others… we can’t leave them.” Maggie pointed out but right now Glenn could only think about the two of them, about getting the women he loved out of here alive, so he just said, “Get off the farm now!”

“Come on! Come on!” Rick could hear the shouting as he and Carl ran over to the house, the sounds of more groaning from the walkers and a gunshot quickly reaching them again. “Come on!”

“Where’s Daryl, Lori?” Rick shouted when he and Carl finally reached the older man. “Did you see them?”

“I don’t know what happened, Rick.” Herschel shook his head, unable to comprehend what was happening in that moment. “They just keep coming. It’s like a plague. They’re everywhere.”

“Lori, Daryl did you see them?” Rick asked again his panic only growing at the state Hershel was currently in.

“No.” Herschel shook his head wishing there was anything he could say to Rick right now.

“We have to go.” Rick pointed out, one arm keeping Carl close to him as he looked around at the walkers that were only getting closer and closer to them. “Find dad and the other.”

“It’s my farm!” Herschel shouted at the younger man still not willing to leave his home, even as he watched it fall in front of him.

“Not anymore.” Rick pointed out. “Come one!” He reached out grabbing the older man’s arm and dragging him as they ran away from the walkers and the farm. “Come on!”

The three men got back to the car without much problem, a few walkers getting in their way, but nothing they couldn't handle.

None of them heard or saw Andrea running up behind the car as they drove away.

Daryl watched the burning barn from a far, trying to keep his eyes open for any sign of his husband and son. The sounds of some screaming reached him and after only a second of hesitation Daryl started his motorcycle and started driving towards the sounds of a woman's scream.

Daryl quickly reached the sounds of the scream, spotting Carol trying to fight off all the walkers that were now surrounding her.

“Come on!” Daryl shouted as he stopped not that far away from her. “I ain't got all day! Let’s go!”

Carol didn't wait another second before she ran over to the motorcycle and climbed on behind Daryl who quickly drove off away from the farm, looking around where he could to see if Rick and Carl were anywhere to be spotted.

Everyone drove away from the farm watching behind them as the flames and walkers took over, all of them scared about what could possibly become of them, all of them worried they might never be able to find each other again. All of them mourning the loss of what was once a safe place to live.

*************************************************************************************************************

As the sun started to rise Maggie pulled the car to a stop letting out a small, “Oh my god.” As she did so.

“All right, let’s just, let’s just, circle back to the highway.” Glenn suggested not liking the idea of them getting stuck in a forest

“Did you see my dad? Did, did he make it?” Maggie asked trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill, she couldn't cry right now, she just couldn't. “Did you see?”

“I couldn’t see anything.” Glenn admitted almost quietly wishing there was something else he could do for the women he loved.

“And Beth. I lost Beth. We’ve gotta go back there.” Maggie shook her head getting ready to turn the car around when Glenn’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“We can’t go back.” Glenn pointed out, and while Maggie knew that she couldn't accept that she just couldn't. “Okay? There’s nothing to go back to.”

“But Beth.” Maggie said her worlds trailing off.

“I, I, I think she was with Lori.” Glenn said pretty sure she had seen a group led by Lori leave the farm, although he couldn't be sure one of those people was Beth.

“Did they make it?”

“I don’t know, not for sure.”

“Patricia? Jimmy? What if they didn't make it? What if nobody made it?” Maggie was starting to panic even more and she was more than a little happy that she had decided to pull the car over.

“They made it, okay? They had to.” Glenn didn't know what really happened, he had no clue who was really able to make it out of there, but in his mind a lot of them did, he couldn't let himself think anything else. “All right, let’s just circle around to the highway where we left supplies for Sophia.”

“No, the herd came from that direction.” 

Glenn could see that his girlfriend was starting to panic and after letting out a small sigh he told her. “Let me drive.”

The words seemed to set something off in Maggie and before even of them knew it she had started sobbing. Glenn quickly reached across the dash to pull her into a comforting hug whispering words of comfort into her ears until the sobbing had quieted down and Maggie pulled away with a small sad look on her face.

“Okay, Yeah.” Maggie agreed before she got out of the car, Glenn following quickly behind her.

Rick pulled the truck up in front of the car they had left supplies for Sophia on, him and Carl getting out of the car as soon as it stopped.

“Wait, where’s papa?” Carl panicked as they looked around and he saw no sight of his other father or his father’s motorcycle. “You said he’d be here. We, we gotta go back for her.”

“Carl.” Rick said with a sad look down at his son, he wanted to go back and get his husband more than almost anything but he needed to protect Carl more than anything and he was going to do that.

“Why, why are we running?” Carl was shouting now and he couldn't seem to stop himself, he was terrified about what could happen to Daryl and he didn’t want to go anywhere else without the older man. “What are you doing? It’s, it is Papa. We need to get him and not, not be safe far away from him.”

“Shh, shhh.” Rick said as he lent down a little to be at eye sight with the kid. “We need to be quiet, all right? Please?”

Carl nodded before he said quietly, “Please? It’s papa.”

In that moment Rick wanted nothing more than to say yes, he wanted nothing more than to go back and find his husband, find his sister. Have his whole family safe around him but he couldn't. Rick bent the rest of the way to the ground, his hand still on Carl’s shoulder as he said. “Look, Carl Listen…”

“No.” Carl pulled away from his father’s arms not wanting to listen to any of this.

“Rick.” Herschel said from where he was still standing next to the truck, up until that point he had decided to leave father and son in peace to talk. “You’ve got to get your boy to safety. I’ll wait here for my girls and the others. I know a few places, we’ll meet up at one of them later.”

“Where.” Ruck asked with a small shack of his head as he pushed himself up from the ground, keeping one eye on Carl the whole time. “Where is safe? We’re not slipping up.”

“Please, keep you boy safe.” Hershel almost felt like he was begging as he walked a little closer to the younger man, he couldn't take their group losing another child. “I’ll hide in one of the cars. If a walker gets me, so be it. I’ve lost my farm. I’ve lost my wife and maybe my daughters.”

“You don't know that. They’ll be here.” Rick tried to assure him although he knew it wasn't going to do much to help.

“And you don't know that.” Hershel shot back.

“You’re a man of god. Have some faith.”

“I can’t profess to understand God's plan, but Christ promised the resurrection of the dead. I just thought he had something a little different in mind.” Hershel admitted with a small sigh.

“We stick together.” 

Rick isn't sure exactly how long they all sat around the cars on the highway, feeling alert and nervous the whole time, wishing the whole time that Daryl’s motorcycle would drive over to them.

“I don’t know how much longer we can stay here.” Hershel admitted as they hid behind a car from the latest Walker, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

“I’m not, I’m not leaving without papa.” Carl told the older men.

“So we’re just going to walk away?” Rick asked him with a small shake of his head. “Not knowing if my husband, your girls are still out there? How do we live with that?”

“You’ve only got one concern now, just one, keeping him alive. Nature may be throwing us a curveball, but the law is still true.”

“Carl, it’s not safe here.” Rick started looking down at his son, he didn't want Hershel to be right, he wanted to stay here and wait for Daryl but he also knew he needed to keep Carl safe. “I’m sorry, well.” Luckily before Rick had to finish his sentence the all too familiar sound of his husband’s motorcycle hit him and he couldn't help the small relieved sigh he let out.

Rick got up from where he was kneeling beside his son just in time to see his husband come riding over to them, someone on the back of his motorcycle with him and a car and truck following a little behind.

Daryl got off of his motorcycle as soon as he had stopped it, a small smile pulling on the corner of his lips as Carl ran over to him, pulling his son into a hug and taking all the comfort he could get when Rick placed a hand on his shoulder. Everyone else running over to their family and friends around them.

Rick waited a couple of seconds for Daryl to walk away from the motorcycle enough before he moved in to hug both his husband and son, the feeling he felt at having his whole family back in his arms like no other.

Rick isn't entirely sure how long he spent with his husband and son in his arms before he finally pulled back and asked whoever could answer. “Where’d you find everyone?”

“Well, those guy’s tail lights zigzagging all over the road.” Daryl started as Rick pulled away from him and Carl enough to look at everyone else, his arms still tight around his sons and his voice full of humour. “Figured he had to be Asian, driving like that.”

“Good one.” Glenn couldn't help the small laugh that came past his lips at Daryl’s words.

“Where’s the rest of us?” Daryl asked Rick and Hershel notating that there were still a good few people of their group missing.

“Where the only ones that made it so far.” Rick announced sadly wishing there was more good news he could give.

“Shane?” Lori asked, looking over at her brother, a worried look on her face that threatened to break Rick’s heart at the thought of what was to come for her.

“Andrea?” Glenn pulled Rick right back out of his thoughts at this. Rick pulled his eyes away from Lori not able to deal with all of that and instead turned his attention back to the rest of the group as everyone continued to talk.

“She saved me, then I lost her.” Carol told them all sadly, most of the group able to hear the small amount of guilt that came through her voice.

“We saw her go down.” T-dog confirmed.

“Patricia?”

“They got her too, took her right in front of me.” Beth told her dad sadly a tear slipping down her cheek with her words. “I was, I was holding onto her daddy. She just, what about Jimmy? Did you see Jimmy?”

“He was in the RV. It got overrun.” Rick felt horrible for everything the child was having to go through, of how many people she had already lost.

“You definitely saw Andrea?” Carol asked T-dog, having been holding out hope that the younger women had somehow made it out alive.

“There were walker’s everywhere.” Lori confirmed with a small sad nod as she walked over to give Carl a small hug, Daryl having finally let go of his son.

“Did you see her?” Carol didn't believe what they were saying was true.

“I’m gonna go back.” Daryl said not willing to leave one of their own at home, although he was saying that to everyone his eyes were on Rick the whole time.

“No.” Rick shook his head, not liking the idea of Daryl going back there on his own at all, not liking the idea of Daryl going back there at all.

“We can’t just leave here there.” Daryl pointed out giving Rick a small look that said ‘Please just let me do this’.

“We don’t even know if she’s there.” Lori pointed out with a small sigh, hating to think about anything having happened to Andrea but knowing there was no point in trying to think optimistically anymore.

“She isn't there.” Rick agreed with his sister. “She isn’t. She’s somewhere else or she’s dead. There’s no way to find out. There can’t be.” 

“So we're not even gonna look for her?” Glenn asked in disbelief.

Rick nodded slowly hating that they had to do stuff like this but not knowing any other choice. “We gotta keep moving. There have been walkers crawling all over here.”

“I say head east.” T-dog agreed with Rick.

“Stay off the main roads.” Daryl reluctantly agreed with his husband and T-dog, he didn’t like the idea of giving up on any of them but like Rick and Lori he knew there wasn’t much of a chance of finding Andrea. “The bigger the road, the more walkers, more assholes like this one. I got it.” Daryl walked forward plunging his knife into the head of a walker and watching as it fell to the floor.

*************************************************************************************************************

“Damn.” Rick muttered as he slammed his hand into the steering wheel.

“What’s wrong?” Lori asked looking over at her brother.

“Been riding red for the past hour.” Rick explained his voice showing how annoyed this was making him.

“Better make sure we don’t get forgot.” T-dog pointed out as Rick started to pull the car to a stop.

Rick just nodded pushing his hand down onto the horn a few times as he stopped the car, all the cars ahead also stopping and everyone else getting out to see what was going on.

“You out?” Daryl asked his husband with a small nod as he climbed off of his bike.

“Running on fumes.” Rick confirmed with a small nod.

“We can’t stay here.” Maggie pointed out.

“We can’t all fit into one car.” Glenn also pointed out with a small sigh.

“We’ll have to make a run for some gas in the morning.” Rick told them as he looked around the small road they were currently stopped on.

“Spent the night here?” Carol asked in disbelief, she couldn't see anywhere safe around here for them to sleep.

“I’m freezing.” Carl said from where he was leaning against the hood of a car, holding his coat tight around him

“We’ll build a fire, Yeah?” Lori half asked half stated, not sure what the best option here was.

“If you go out looking for firewood, stay close.” Daryl agreed with a small nod as Rick walked over placing his own coat over Carl’s shoulder. “Only got so many arrows, how you doing on Ammo?”

“Not enough.” Rick announced sadly, wishing he could give anyone a good answer to anything.

“We can’t just sit here with our asses hanging out.” Maggie pointed out with a small shake of her head.

“Watch your mouth.” Herschel told his daughter. “Everyone stop panicking and listen to Rick.”

“All right, we’ll set up a perimeter. In the morning, we’ll find gas and some supplied. We’ll keep pushing on.” Rick told everyone wanting to get this all done soon, before everything got dark.

“Glenn and I can go make a run no, try and scrounge up some gas.” Maggie suggested not wanting to stay here and not do anything. 

“No.” Rick shook his head not liking the idea of them all being apart. “We stay together. God forbid something happens and people get stranded without a car.”

“We stranded now.” Glenn pointed out to Rick, feeling just like his girlfriend did.

“I know this looks bad, we’ve all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other. I wasn't sure... I really wasn't... But we did. We’re together. We keep it that way. We’ll find shelter somewhere. There’s gotta be a place around here.”

“Rick, look around. Okay? There’s walkers everywhere.” Glenn moved his arms around to show exactly what he meant. “They’re migrating or something.”

“There’s gotta be a place not just where we hole up, but that we fortify, hunker down. Pull ourselves together, build a life for each other. I know it’s out there. We just have to find it.” Rick tried to assure everyone, trying to find some way off keeping their hopes up, at least a little.

“Even if we do find a place and we think it’s safe, we can never be sure.” Maggie argued with the older man. “For how long? Look what happened with the farm. We fooled ourselves into thinking that was safe.”

“We won't make that mistake again.” Herschel assured them.

“We’ll make camp tonight over there, get on the road at the break of day.” Rick told them all as he tried to get started, Carol’s words stopping him only a second later.

“Does this feel right to you?” Carol asked walking back over to Daryl.

“What if walkers come through, or another group like Randall’s?” Beth asked agreeing with Carol, staying here overnight didn’t feel right.

“You know how I found Randall, right?” Daryl said, realizing that he hadn't been able to tell the whole group about what he had found in the woods. “He had turned, but he wasn’t bit.”

“How’s that possible?” Beth asked the fear she felt at just the thought of that coming through in her voice.

“Rick, what the hell happened?” Lori asked, referring to everything that went down in the woods before the walker attack and the fire.

“Shane killed Randall.” Daryl hated having to be the one to tell Lori this, she was his sister-in-law and he cared about her. He didn't want to see her hurt, but he had to tell everyone what he had realized when he found Randall’s body. “Just like he always wanted to.

“And then the heard got him?” Lori asked just wanting to know what happened to her husband and the father of her unborn son.

Rick looked around at his group, knowing now that what he was told was true and that he couldn't keep hiding this from his group, no matter how much he wanted to. “Were all infected.” He revealed after almost a whole minute of silence.

Everyone turned to look at Rick in shock, not quite believing what he was hearing. “What?” Daryl asked his husband staring over at Rick, a small amount of hurt clear on his face.

“At the CDC, Jenner told me.” Rick revealed almost a little worried, to be telling them this. “Whatever is it, we all carry it.”

“And you never said anything?” Carol asked when no one else said a word.

“Would it have made a difference?”

Daryl shook his head finding it hard to believe that his husband had kept this hidden for him for weeks now. “You know this whole time?”

“How could I have known for sure? You saw how crazy that mo.” Rick never got the chance to finish his sentence, to explain why he did this as Glenn cut him off. “That is not your call. Ok when I found out about the walkers in the barn, I told for the good of everyone.”

“Well, I thought it best if people didn't know.” Rick looked around at everyone in their group before he turned around and walked off unable and not wanting to deal with all of this right now.

Daryl was pissed at his husband, Rick should have at least told him about this but as he watched Rick walk off he couldn't just leave Rick to deal with it all on his own, his husband wouldn't let him. So after only a few seconds of hesitation he followed after Rick his crossbow still held tightly in one hand.

He slowed down when he finally reached his husband placing his crossbow over his shoulder as he closes the small distance between them and placed his arms around Rick’s waist. Neither of them really liked public displays of affection but right now Daryl didn't care, they were out of the way, no one could see them and only a few hours ago he had been worried that he had lost Rick for ever.

“You had your reasons.” Daryl pointed out as he felt Rick lean back into his hold a little.

“I killed Shane.” Rick revealed needing to talk about this with the man he trusted more than anything else in the world. “He came at me. He killed Randall to get to me. He planned it, I know he did. I had to do it.”

“Yeah.” Daryl agreed with a small nod. He had been worried about Shane for a while now, worried that the other man would do something stupid like this and now he had. He didn't care that Rick killed him, everyone was safer with Shane dead. “You had to do it. It’s okay.” Daryl knew that Rick wasn't going to see it the same way he did, he and Shane had been best friends for a long time now and it was going to be harder for Rick to see that what he did was right then it was for him.

*************************************************************************************************************

Rick could hear everyone talking about him, they didn't trust him as much as they used to. That much was more than clear but he couldn't have that. He couldn't let them go off on their own like they wanted to, it wouldn't end well for any of them.

“The last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark.” Rick cut their conversation off. “We don't have the vehicles, no one’s traveling on foot.”

“Don't panic.” Herschel said to everyone when the sound of another branch snapping hit them.

“I’m no, I’m not sitting here, waiting for another herd to blow through.” Maggie said with a small shack of her head. “We need to move now.”

“No one is going anywhere.” Rick’s voice was weirdly calm right now.

“Do something.” Carol shouted over at Rick, all her trust in him having left her.

“I am doing something.” Rick shot back his voice a little louder than it was a second ago but still calm. “I’m keeping the group together, alive. I’ve been doing that all alone, no matter what. I didn't ask for this. I killed my friend to keep you people alive for god's sake! You saw what he was like, how he pushed me, how he compromised us, he threatened us. He staged that whole Randall thing, let me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice. He was my friend but he came after me.”

Rick could hear both his sister and son crying and he regretted not having told them in person but now that he had started talking he couldn't seem to make himself stop. “My hands are clean.”

Rick looked over at Daryl seeing that his husband was holding Carl, calming him down but also seeing a look on Daryl’s face that Rick knew meant his husband was on his side. “Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead. I say there’s a place for us, but maybe, maybe it’s just another pipe dream. Maybe, maybe I’m fooling myself again. Why don't you, why don't you go and find out yourself? Send me a postcard. Go on, there's the door. You can do better? Let’s see how far you get. No taker? Fine. But get one thing straight, you’re staying, this isn't a democracy anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.  
> I was also wondering if anyone wanted to see anything changed from in the show, I've been trying to decide what I might want to change and I was wondering what people reading it thought.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted while reading please let me know in the comments so I can correct them.  
> I am really bad at tagging works so if you think I need to add anything to the tags please let me know in the comments so I can add them.
> 
> I take prompts and story suggestions on Tumbler under the same username or in the comments.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.


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